S.P.I.R.I.T [Mystery Hauntings] Is a website where you can come and talk about your paranormal experiences.Ask for help and advice, we our selves are kinda new at this. We like others take paranormal very seriously and exciting.

.Devil Inside. [Mature, Shiranui, continued]

Haru knew she wasn’t going to be long as he stared up at the clouds, closing his eyes softly to himself. What was he supposed to say? In truth he wasn’t even completely sure, but he knew Yuki wasn’t the only one suffering, compassion didn’t work the way, it wasn’t a one way street. His mind flashed back to Yuki, lying unconscious on the bed, bruised and beaten, trapped in his own mind. It made him sick to the stomach, it always had…Akito and Yuki. Especially when Yuki was never anything but nice, but thoughtful, what had he done? Nothing. It was a curse, it didn’t have to make sense he supposed, it just was. What was Aya thinking? Haru wasn’t sure if he would have been able to be the cause of it, black Haru would only be the beginning, the guilt to strong, especially after having seen the state he’s in.

He felt her coming before she arrived, his eyes still closed, almost as if he was asleep, though he wasn’t. In fact he was far from. He knew that Shigure had told Tohru Yuki had gone to stay with his family for a bit. She was nervous, cautious but with as little as she knew about his family she bought it, for now at least. He nodded, opening his eyes slowly as his eyes found her in response to her question. “I know…” He said slowly, “Damn that Akito for it too…” He sighed, pushing himself into a sitting position as she sat down beside him, not responding to her statement for a second, letting it hang in the air. “Do you really think that?”He asked her, turning to look at her. “You think because he’s cursed he should be isolated from everyone but his family?” He asked her, his eyes watching her. “His family already rejected him, you think it was wrong you gave him hope?” He picked a white flower at his feet, twirling it between in fingers as it twirled in and out of sunlight beneath the speckled light of the leaves. “Do you think it’s right to leave someone alone? I suppose it would work for some people…” He said with a sigh as he finished. “But it breaks others,”

“Are you willing to leave Yuki, let him vanish from your memories?” He asked, suddenly reminded of Hatori, shaking it off quickly as he turned to look at her, his eyes traveling to another small blond figure across the grounds as he spoke again. “Because we don’t forget even when others do…no matter how much we may or may not want to. If you are going to do that you at least should have the respect to open your eyes and understand what you are doing to the one you’re leaving behind. Forsaken, forgotten, and rejected is all he’s ever known, locking it all deep inside to try and move on after escaping the main house. Like a smooth piece of glass his hard with each rejection by each person he ever put his trust into, eventually everyone leaving another crack on the mirror. How long do you think it will be before breaks? How deep of a crack do you think he can take? Because you were by far the deepest, and he’s been pretty bad off before, forsaken his speech to live in his own world. Do you think it’s right to take his hope away now when he’s come this far?” He asked her, pausing now to let her think.

**************************************************************************************************************:: Why did I ask such a stupid question earlier? I should be aware of Haru and Yuki being cousins. Of course he'd find out sooner or later what that dam Akito did!:: She thought silently to herself, averting sapphire hues in sudden shame. Here she was sitting nonchalantly in front of Yuki's cousin as if nothing had happened, but she was well aware of her surroundings. Every whisper of the wind, every single noise that entered her ear and the sound of Haru's masculine voice mingling with her muddled sub-conscious. Aya sat back upon her heels, almost regretting her decision to speak with Haru. She should have gone of to lunch with her brother or at least gone of to the library to drown a thousand miseries in a fantasy world. Yet, the blond-haired girl comprehended that such acts would undoubtedly earn her the nickname of coward or in the worse case...curse words that she did not fathom to remember. :: Just wait to see how this meeting turns out.:: She mumbled motivational words to her troubled mind, realizing instantly that such lies wouldn't fool the spirit inside. Shoulders slumping, the young woman finally glanced at the peaceful Haru, her anxiety peaking furiously when he did not answer instantly. But after what seemed like an eternity a single nod from his head brought a numbing sensation to Aya Mikage. She almost wished to dig a deep hole for herself in order to hide her shame or perhaps her own guilty conscious. "Akito..." Aya repeated the name with disdain, her entire expression changing into one of complete loathing. :: I hate her! I hate her!:: The words echoing endlessly. "Calm..remain calm." She formed silent words with her lips, making sure to not utter a single sound.

Releasing her aching hands from their death grip, the young woman felt her emotions settle down somewhat. She could think clearly now that Ceres had finally gone to sleep, without the worry of having to run if the tennyo decided to have an unannounced visit. Crouching against rough tree bark, Aya let her attention refocus on the white-haired Sohma besides her, while he let her question hang in mid-air. Again the blond-haired girl clamped down on her rising apprehension. She needed answers. Or perhaps reassuring words to believe in herself once more. Perhaps Aya needed someone who would give her the blunt truth as a wake up call, but when Haru did answer her question. She was stunned to see he'd counter it with another question of his own. "What kind of question is that?" :: No..I didn't come here to be interviewed...nor did I come here to pick a fight..but I'm becoming strangely angry again.:: Gulping slightly, she struggled to keep sapphire hues glued to Haru, battling internally to keep from looking away. Yet, Haru was not the one offending her, she was the one being to hard-headed to listen to his advice. :: Look..you shouldn't be mad at him. The one who has all the fault is none other then yourself. Your own foolish self for believing that isolation would be best for Yuki.:: "N..no..Yuki might be cursed...but he deserves happiness as much as everyone else does in this world. There were many things about him that I didn't understand until now. Loneliness and rejection is one of them...and I knew it hurts to be left out" She answered at last, keeping a steady tone with the young Sohma besides her.

:: Oh no..what am I doing? All these time...the answer has laid right beneath my nose. I'm rejecting my poor brother...hurting him as silently as I'm hurting Yuki.:: She lowered her face down until long bangs covered her expression from sight. Hot tears stung her eyes, but she fought them away fiercely. :: I don't want to cry anymore!:: Aya cried out, using her hands to whip away the stubborn tears from her eyes. "Do you think I want to abandon Yuki? Do you think I want to erase him from my memories..but if I had known Yuki would suffer this much..then yes..I wouldn't have gotten close to him." Aya replied, glancing once again to the canopy above. "But what other choice do I have Haru? Look at the results of what happened to Yuki-kun...we both took a risk seeing each other behind Akito's back, only to wind up being discovered by her." She sighed silently "I know I'm not going to be well received if I decide to randomly visit Yuki again...yet I also don't want to see him breaking apart either." Aya let her eyes fall half-shut in thought, fearing the worse for Yuki if his fragile mirror should indeed break apart. :: What would happen then? Would he cease to speak or...:: Her mind trailed off unable to continue the string of thoughts, for the girl's face had gone milky white in panic. As much she wanted to brush off Haru's word, they only served to haunt Aya even more then before. Fright etched lightly in her blue hues, she whispered "I want what is best for him."

As they sat in silence he could almost feel her tension, yet he sat as if it didn't exist, perhaps this was just common amung his family. The fear and anger, the scared and frightening...their curse. He paused at her outburst, waiting for her to settle down before continuing, his soft eyes finding her as he spoke. He nodded at her responce, "I believe of all of us he is the one that suffered lonliness the most..." He said softly, clicking his tounge in thought. "He fears it, above all else, the darkness of lonliness...but he prefers it to rejection that ends in lonliness..." He shook his head, sitting up and putting his head in his hands, thinking to himself as she wandered off into her own thoughts and her own tears, turning to look at her as she spoke.

"Perhaps if would of been better for Yuki, or perhaps it would of just pushed him farther back into his hole...I can not be certian..." He spoke evenly. "But what's done is done...How Yuki will react when he comes out of it...no one can be certian..." He said with a sigh, looking back up at the open, welcoming sky, whispering in your ear of the freedom it held. But not matter how much you wanted to fall into it, it was to far away. "If it's anything with what happened to him as a child...well we can be certian it was not good...Akito is god, but not all powerful, he only has as much power as he has connections..." He glanced at her slowly as he spoke. "He won't be at the main house much longer...only as long as nessissary..." He told her with a sigh as he rolled a blade of grass between his fingers.

"Hatori knows it's not good for him, as soon as he's well enough he'll be moved back to shigures...where I'm sure you would be quiet welcomed..." How pointed out, though as much as he would rather end on the light mood he continued. "However it's not just Yuki's physical health Hatori's worried about, the main reason he's moving back to Shigures..." he told her, focased on the green blade of grass as he twirled it, starting to stain his own fingers green. "Even now we can't wake him from his own mind...and no one knows what state he'll be in when he awakens...or if he'll still be trapped in his fears and memories. . .regardless of what happened a chain of events has started that can not be undone." He told her with a small sigh.

"I can't be sure what's best for Yuki right now, I'm not sure anyone can...It's like dealing with a delicate egg set on the edge of a plank. One wrong move can send it crashing to it's destruction. However...I can tell you that hiding back in the shadows is no longer an option." For the first time in a while it turned, his eyes meeting hers. they weren't the softened eyes of his normal self, nor the angry eyes of his other personality. Rather they were the eyes of a Sohma, hardened by experiance. "And indeciion can be just as dangerious at tims like this...you may have to make your decision very soon. you have brought yourself into our affairs, but unlike us you dont have to base your decision on instinct and thousands of years of traditions. You perhaps have the greatest advantage, you can follow the instinct of your heart..." He informed her, after ward once again falling back into the soft grass, the moment over, and his normal self returning.

Loneliness? Yuki suffered from loneliness? How was that even possible? How could a handsome and charming young man be lonely? Perhaps, the white-haired male made a mistake in judgment? Maybe he meant someone else? The young woman leaned back against the lush grass, sapphire orbs staring listlessly at the sky above. She tucked sore elbows beneath her neck forming a make-shift pillow in which to rest an aching mind filled with restless thoughts. Everything Haru Sohma told her made no sense, or was it just denial on her part? Was she the one refusing to acknowledge Yuki's obvious loneliness? But, how could someone popular in school be so lonesome? Aya's lips moved wordlessly, counting the number of white clouds fluttering overhead, with a nonchalant pace free of worries or discrimination's. How she wished to be free like those cumulus clouds in the sky. Free to think. Free to feel. And free of all guilt. 'Guilt? I'm full of so much guilt...that my head is bound to explode at any minute. I feel horrid for yesterday's events...how can I even show my face to Yuki? He'd probably look down at me as a killer...hell bent on destroying everything.' The blond-haired woman bit down on her lower lip nervously, blue orbs shimmering faintly with un-shed tears. After all this, how had Aya managed to face Haru with a straight face? "During the short time I met Yuki, he never expressed loneliness in my presence nor in front of others. How could I've been so blind in the beginning?" She whispered at last, straining to speak in a voice that seemed to waver in the wind. "I shouldn't have listened to Akito at all. My regrets are many for having caused Yuki even the slightest amount of loneliness."

Yes. It would have been better if Yuki had never spoken to her. Life would have gone on normally as always with the same routine in the morning. Wake up, have breakfast, go to school and wallow with friends till the bell rang, that would have been Aya's normal schedule till now. Her callous descisions caused an innocent Sohma to pay in blood. Because of her, Yuki now lay in an arrid state. Unable to move, to wake or even to speak with those around him. He was trapped within nightmarish thoughts Aya knew killed him inside. Swallowing almost harshly, the blond-haired girl straightened into a seated-position. Locks of wavy golden hair contrasted sharply against the green background as the girl turned a serious expression upon Haru. His words were sharp. Hurtful. But full of truth. 'Trapped. I'm trapped inside myself. I don't know how to remedy this situation. I..I just can't find a backbone inside me. Oh, Aya..stop being so cowardly. Can't you see that Haru is right? Are you unable to stomach the truth?' The truth. What truth? What did she have to stomach? Her fright? Her thirst for revenge? Her feelings of overwhelming helplessness? Giving up seemed like the best option in Aya's mind and the hostile tennin seemed to agree for her smooth voice echoed cunningly 'Yes...stay away from the Sohma Family. Stay far away from Akito...for next time you won't be able to hold back my wrath. I will shed blood next time...even if it means destroying those you hold dear.' Ceres warned coldly, her mental image appearing faintly in Aya's subconscious. Shimmering black hair, deadly golden eyes, painted red lips that twisted with loathing for everyone: The dangerous Celestial maiden watched closely from the shadows. Her presence a mere fragment in her descendant's mind, but enough to make Aya cry out in sudden exasperation

"Silence!" The blond-haired girl snarled, glossy lips drawn downwards in a tense scowl "I...I can't concentrate with this voice in my head." Absurd. It was really absurd to have a single spirit trying to take control. Her body belonged to her and her only, so why was Ceres making it impossible to concentrate? Was she doing it on purpose to keep Aya from listening to Haru Sohma? Or were there other reasons the Tennin within couldn't sleep in peace? 'Now Ceres puts a new meaning to split personality. Go back to sleep! Please...leave me alone. I need to resolve this issue now, or Yuki will be lost forever in the darkness!' Gritting her teeth together, the young woman placed both hands on either temple in a vain attempt to dispel Ceres' chilling words. No matter how hard Aya tried to drive away the meaningless threats, she knew internally the Celestial maiden was capable of taking control on a whim. Snarling soundlessly, the blond-haired adolescent gathered spare energy to seal her inner monster momentarily. Although, Ceres' powerful energy remained quiet for the time being, Aya could hear familiar sounds echoing in her mind. 'No more.' Her mind pleaded silently, wanting the mental assult to end before she ended up in a nut house. Perhaps, Aya Mikage would end up sealed in a sanitarium someday thanks to her great grandmother. Shaking her head to clear away any numbness, the young woman re focused sapphire hues on Haru. Sensitive ears caught every dark word that came out from the boy's mouth and she didn't like the prognosis. "Your really not giving me much hope, Haru." Aya stated bluntly, azure orbs dropping to gaze at the crushed grass beneath her hand. The white-haired Sohma wasn't giving her much hope to continue on, but she had to find her own way. Wait. He wasn't telling her negative words to discourage. Instead, Haru seemed to be giving Aya a premonition of events that might happen. Yuki refusing to wake-up or even acknowledge anyone's appearance did not sit well with Aya. She didn't wish to see him in such a state, a living vegetable living in constant shadow. All she wanted was to see a smiling Yuki Sohma free of all pain, free of all loneliness. All he needed was to be freed from Akito's vice-like grip. But how? Would visiting the main house now be a good idea? Aya bounced the idea in her mind, while listening to Haru with keen interest. Her lips didn't move for a few minutes till he finished their conversation. "I think you hit right on the nail Haru." The raspy syllables escaped from Aya's throat, as glinting eyes shifted towards the school building. Faint images of her first days in this new high school sprang to assault Aya with visual images of happier days. If only time could be re-winded. If only she could go back to make a more rational choice, but solutions now weren't many. Haru was right. She shouldn't take refuge in the shadows anymore, for a chain reaction had started and wouldn't be in stopped in any shape or form.

"Going...I'm going to go see him. My choice has been made now that I see more clearly. However, I can't guarantee how well Yuki might react to my presence...nor what will happen if anything unmentioned comes up" Aya replied, extending her hand out to press it against the tree trunk. Finger nails digging into the rough surface, the blond-haired woman staggered uncertainly to her feet, already filled with resolve to face destiny. 'What will happen if I become afraid now? What if I lose composure?' Smoothing out the wrinkles from her dark-blue skirt, Aya let her hand drop limply to the side. Her slim frame stood beneath the large tree neither moving nor noticing the world. What was she doing standing here? Time was of the essence now. Unfreezing herself, she landed determined hues upon the zodiac cow "Thanks." She mumbled her gratitude softly, hoping her brave appearance wouldn't diminish soon. Lips thinned into a determined line, the blond-haired girl walked towards the main street, leaving behind school, Haru and a distraught twin brother who gazed from the window with a raised eyebrow.

Footsteps echoed faintly on the cement sidewalk for the girl's strides were purposely executed. She walked stiffly down the street, shoulders hunched and arms crossed in a defensive position. Aya looked like a woman about to face death in the face. Her facial features drawn into a frown, glittering sapphire hues nearly scarlet from old tears. Uncrossing one hand slightly, the young woman flickered away drying tears from her cheek bone. No one needed to see her cry. She couldn't afford to show up as an emotional wreck in front of Yuki. What would happen if she did break down? How embarrassed would Aya be to face him, or worse a laughing Akito? Could she hold Ceres back if that were to occur? "I can not allow Ceres to control me anymore. I won't cause anymore trouble for the Sohma Family." The blond-haired girl stated beneath her breath, pausing in mid-stride to stare at the thick brush. Mangled tree branches, dried leaves and overgrown trees blocked Aya from seeing the old opening she'd made before. Turning her head slightly, the blond-haired adolescent checked right and left to see if anyone was around. Pulling in a deep breath, Aya calmed herself after making sure it was safe enough to crawl through the narrow space towards the lone house in the middle of the thicket. After several minutes of wrestling with stubborn twigs, she tumbled out on the other side, breathing harshly to catch her breath. But the same feeling from the incident began to creep up on the young woman. Ceres seemed to pulsate inside her descendant as the girl slowly rose to her feet with a look of uncertainly etched. Was it safe to approach the main house? Was Akito out? Aya didn't know, though she would have to take a chance.

occ: Not sure how well this post came out x_X Decided not to add Aki's part in till later and I left it open for Aya's encounter with Akito

Hatasaru closed his eyes as he listened to her. "He has a way of doing that doesn't he? You'd never think he's lonely..." He said softly, he knew she was whispering and probably not talking to him, but he wasn't standing on formality when a life was at stake. "But until you realize it, you only know a part of him." He told her with a long sigh, his eyes showing concern. "His parents used him to get money, and gifts because he was the rat the 'special one.' He never got to play with the other kids because he was locked away by Akito... He was alone. He grew up, true i suppose but he never healed, emotionally he's always been alone, he's never felt like he fitted in." He sighed, closing his eyes again, obviously thinking, recalling his own memories. "He has everyone there, could lead them to the edge of a cliff any beyond, but he can't break out of his loneliness, it's his curse...all of ours." He turned to look at her. "I don't think you understand what you did for Yuki, you were the one he let in. Sure he has us, he has his family, but it's not the same. We live together in it, we thrive in it, we know each others pain through it, but we're all alone together." He took a slow breath. He sat there in silence, watching her as she seemed to struggle inside her. It was sad that things were like this, always so complicated, always hurtful choices. Hatasaru had never known anything but. He didn't say anything as she seemed to snap to herself, to be quite honest it wasn't on the top of his list.

Haru sighed, shaking his head to look at the girl. "Unfortunately it's not my job to give you hope. I'm not all powerful i'm not....god..." He said, the last word softly before continuing. "I don't know what will lead to the right end. I'm in the middle of it, same as you, same as Yuki. I'm wrapped in the middle, not looking from the outside. Coming from the outside puts you at a disadvantage, i want to make sure you understand what you need to understand. I don't know what will save Yuki, i don't know if we can, and i don't want to see him the way he was before... but he's always had a kind heart." He smiled softly, despite everything as he recalled their first encounter. Aya broke this thoughts as she seemed to speak again with a new found confidence. Regret didn't matter, the past was what it was and moping over it only made it worse. He hadn't been lying, she couldn't be half in and half out without hurting Yuki more than he was hurting, or would be hurting now. He listened, didn't speak. After all he really wasn't in a position to speak, he wasn't above the curse, he was just...concerned for his cousin. He watched her leaving hoping he had dome the right thing that maybe...somehow some good would come from this...

His thoughts were suddenly cut off momentary by a blond head that decided to join him.Momiji seemed to hesitate a moment "Haru-san...i heard about Yuki...is he going to be ok?" He asked. Haru looked up at Momiji's small face. The bunnies usual expression was gone, in fact he looked like a completely different person. "I don't know Momiji...he's bad..." Haru told him softly, not bothering to hide the truth. There was no point among them, it was what it was. Plus, Momiji wasn't as much of a kid as you'd think, he wasn't naive. Momiji just nodded, his eyes grim. The look in his eyes seemed to reach down to you're soul. While he wasn't naive he still help an innocence that didn't fit will with the pain and sorrow on his face. "And Aya?" He asked, watching in the direction she had disappeared. "Is She ok?" He asked Haru. Haru sighed, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm not sure Momiji, i sure hope so." He told him, Momiji nodding eagerly. "Then again what does that do?" He asked himself. "Hoping and wishing...you know Yuki deserves so much more happiness in a day than he's had his whole life...He deserved to be fought for, he deserves more than what he's been given..." He paused, his words dieing as he sighed, running his fingers through his hair, knowing it didn't matter. It didn't matter what anyone deserved, they were cursed. He hated it, he balled his fists together, grunting in frustration. "Haru-san..." Momiji said softly, looking at his cousin and his anger. For a second you would sense Haru flare, his anger almost bringing out Black Haru, but luckily it seemed to calm down.

Akito sat outside his room, on the porch that he so often took refuge on. She was alone today, Rin had gone to the store and Hatori was still taking care of Yuki... Weak Rat... She thought to himself, twirling a blade of green grass around her finger. Her eyes were hard and cold, her arms pulled safely up near her chest. . After the incident it had taken a good day or so to calm Akito down, even with her medicine. Eventually the job got done though, leaving Akito ones again alone to her thoughts, almost as if nothing had happened. Akito hadn't really received many physical blows during the trial, or nothing too visible at any rate. Truth be told things were not the same. her mind kept traveling back to the few moments before the panic, before Yuki had stood between her and the woman. That woman... She thought to herself. She could see it clearly in her mind. She was standing before her, magic and powers increasing by the instant to fill the room. As they grew she know that the energy of her powers was enough to make any man tremble, but not Akito. She had laughed in the fact of death. After all, what was life, Akito didn't plan for hers to last long anyway, had felt no fear. She had been born to die, since the day she had been born she had known she would die soon, young and hated. Still that power, though destructive, was somewhat welcoming and familiar. It made something deep within her stir, something she didn't understand...something she wasn't sure she wanted to understand. Suddenly she felt a snap in her hands, looking down to realize she'd twisted the blade so tight it had snapped in half. She sighed, throwing it uselessly to the ground then turned her gaze up to the sky. What the 'god' of the Sohma family was thinking...nobody knew.

He was alone. Completely alone with no one to keep him company. Where had his sister gone to? Why the sudden urgency to cast him aside? Was she keeping a secret from him? The blond-haired male took a tentative bite from his chicken sandwich, hardly noticing the stale taste of wheat bread. In truth he didn't notice anyone at all. Not the school nor the rumbling shouts coming from all directions, for the teenage-youth kept his gaze glued towards the front door wishing desperately to see a familiar-looking face. "Aya." He whispered softly to himself, "What secrets are keeping from me? Why are you leaving me behind?" Aki questioned lowly, his left hand settling the half-bitten sandwich upon the table. Any hunger he'd felt before now vanished as the youth rose from his seat with an exasperated expression. What was wrong with him? Why was he acting childishly angry at his sister for? Was he jealous that Aya confided her secrets to others, instead of him? "Jealous? Why would I be jealous? She is old enough to know what is right and wrong! So, why am I worrying to much!" He didn't mean to snap, but over-whelming emotions drove him to lose composure. ' Nice going. You're starting to become like mother...easily frustrated...easily angered. I'm showing a side of myself...that was hidden.' He felt like a snake hiding beneath the covers, ready to spring upon his prey without second thoughts. Slim fingers furrowed slowly into a firm bundle, knuckles whitened from the sheer pressure Aki placed on them. The sixteen-year old adolescent fought his mounting desperation bravely, even if it meant exhausting himself. 'I must relax.' Sapphire hues shifted upwards to meet the curious gaze of his peers, many of whom he knew nothing about. They stared at him in a way that made Aki's blood boil. What was he? An alien to them? A foolish boy screaming nonsense? Lips thinned slightly, the young man stiffened as silence broke into muffled whispers. The students were gossiping over him. Judging his behavior, judging who he was. "Who the hell are you staring at?!" Aki yelled, letting his fists drop to the table below.Hands doubled tightly, the blond-haired male deposited his fury all over the cafeteria table, unaware that his actions made food trays bounce up and down. "Settle down!" A sharp voice crashed through Aki's blind anger, momentarily stopping him in mid-air. Exhaling a sharp breath, he turned around to face the source of the voice, hoping faintly that it would be his twin sister. Instead of having his beloved sister scolding him, the youth found himself face to face with the cafeteria attendant. Glinting hazel orbs glowered up at Aki in warning as the old woman tucked both hands into her apron "Gladly take your anger somewhere else. This is the cafeteria for eating...not for causing chaos. Leave before I call security." She hissed in disapproval. Jawline squaring, the young man planted both feet into the sleek flooring, azure eyes gave the attendant a wild look. Aki was half tempted to offend the old lady, though at last minute he walked off without another word. Hands thrusted into black khaki pockets, the blond-haired youth pushed himself between double doors, anxiously waiting for Aya to show up. But where was she? How long would he have to wait for her? Flickering his head sideways, the youth peered into the lunch room. He studied every single table from the outside, making completely sure that his rushed inspection hadn't missed out on vital clues. Yet, his finds were in vain. There was no sign of Aya nor was there any trace of Yuki either. 'Speaking of which....I didn't see him come to school today. I hope nothing terrible happened to him.' Aki mused mentally. He turned away from the lunch building with a heavy sigh escaping from his lips, this break would last fifteen more minutes and here he was roaming the hallways alone till a glint of blond hair captured his interest.

Could it be? Was it Aya? Or was he getting hoping for impossible miracles? Did his unstable behavior cause him to see nonexistent apparitions.? "It has to be Aya. I'm positively certain my sister is down there...wandering around without a purpose." Aki muttered, racing towards the glass window with heart thudding heavily in his throat. He skidded to an abrupt stop, left hand extended outwards to rest it against the cold crystal. Something wasn't right. Something felt different. The young man couldn't quite pin-point the source of his discomfort, but he knew Aya's behavior did not coincide with normal circumstances. What happened to the once outgoing girl? What happened to those happy moments Aki and Aya shared? The young man shook his head savagely, refusing to believe his sister had taken such a drastic change. 'We were so close back then. What happened to our sibling bond?' He couldn't help resting his forehead against the window, azure hues trained intently on the young woman who vanished beneath the tree. Who was she talking to? Aki took his hand away from the glass and slipped his fingers into the pocket to fish out a cracked cellphone. "Hmm.." He pondered calling Aya, yet he knew making calls inside of school would get him in loads of trouble. "Now what? I can't call her..maybe I should go find her in the courtyard." Lips gradually stretched into a weak smile for he knew Aya would fly into a rage if he interfered. Though he was her older brother. He had a right to know what Aya did. 'Do I really have a right? I am her sibling...but isn't Aya old enough to make her own choices? I know she is wise.' Slipping the cellphone back into his pocket, Aki continued to watch the tree. The blond-haired girl failed to appear and he began to grow worried over her sudden disappearance.

Just as he was about to depart, the young man swung around in time to see Aya Mikage walking nonchalantly down the main street, away from school and towards some unknown location. Swallowing hard, the youth raised an eyebrow in question. Aya skipping school? That was impossible! He couldn't believe his eyes! Sixteen years of family ties had not prepared Aki to see his own flesh and blood ruining her life. 'Mother always said Aya would cause trouble...now I'm certain her words were true. Skipping school..just to hang out with the wrong crowd....I can't allow her to waste my time like this.' Everything had a logical explanation. Only this time she would have to explain such reckless behavior in detail to him. "What the heck Aya? Am I not good enough as a brother? What is troubling you so much...that school has ceased to capture your interest?" Aki questioned beneath his breath, knowing internally that the answers might lie somewhere else. Somewhere close to school. Without wasting another minute, the blond-haired male raced down the staircase at high speed. Hopefully he would catch up with Aya, but upon reaching the outer edge of school, Aki couldn't see her for miles. 'Gone.' His mind conjured 'Gotten into trouble. I have to find her!' He exhaled a ragged breath, faintly remembering the tree in which Aya had visited. Was it possible Yuki or someone close to her was still there? He didn't know. Yet, an unpaid look wouldn't do harm. Breaking into a fast walk, Aki stumbled towards the shadow with a grim expression etched across his face. The usually placid light in his azure eyes seemed to spark in concern as they fell upon the two Sohma males lingering beneath the shade. 'Haru and I assume..that is Momiji? Where is Yuki?' He couldn't help noting Yuki's absence, though a feeling inside stopped him from asking such a personal question. Instead, the blond-haired youth called softly to the Sohma cousins "Eh...sorry if I'm interrupting anything. I just saw Aya leave school grounds....and..." Aki broke off in mid-sentence, taking his time in noting just how serious both males were "I want to know what's going." He stated at last, clearly feeling out of place for his classmates seemed to know more about Aya, then he did.

'How ironic.'

*****

The famous incident. How could Aya ever forget that fateful day? In fact how could anyone continue living with a vengeful spirit living inside? How could she walk around as if nothing happened? 'Aya-Chan how do you except to remedy this? How are you going to pull Yuki from the darkness? I wonder if he can ever be saved....or maybe I'm just fooling myself into a false sense of security.' What about Haru's words? Would she just discard them carelessly into the wind? Would she give up? Closing blue orbs tightly, the young woman slipped into a kneeling position, hands pressed against her chest. Facial features contorted into an anguished expression as the heavenly maiden inside twisted savagely. "S..stop it..Ceres." Aya pleaded lowly, for screaming out-loud would alert Hatori or Akito to her presense. But why was she worrying over Akito's appearance? Akito wasn't out or could he? Opening her eyes again, Aya shuddered at the thought. The head of the household was the last person on Earth she wanted to see. 'Hmph...I don't even want to think what I'd do if Akito happened to appear before me. I may just lose control this time.' Losing control wasn't probably, instead it was immediate for the Celestial Maiden's energy flared inside Aya. Wave upon wave of hatred, desire for blood, sorrow and anger washed over the girl's slim frame, assaulting her with emotions that weren't her own. 'Not here!' Her mind pleaded with the twisting spirit inside to calm down. 'What do you mean not here? Anyway...why did you bring me here!? I told you Akito Sohma resides in this place....and I could careless if Yuki resides within these very walls. I won't have mercy on anyone who dares to stand in my way. I..I will kill Akito.' Ceres snarled from within, painting a mental image of herself in front of Aya. Body surrounded by a divine white light, the tennin glowered down at her descendant in disdain 'Do you care this much for Yuki...that your willing to incite my wrath just to see him? Foolish girl...wait until he wakes up. He'll avoid you....He will hate you for what you've done to him. Family is family. That boy is a fool to continue living beneath Akito's shadow.' Crossing both arms delicately around herself, the tennyo's mounting fury increased like the sea. How could Aya be so stupid? With a snap of her fingers, she could spring forth at any time to eliminate the leader once and for all. Though there was one big barrier in Ceres' way. Aya Mikage. Her descendant. Her great granddaughter and survivor of Mikage's blood-filled tradition. 'If you only knew....'

'Ceres...you know my motives for coming here. Don't try to escape from the truth....you know Yuki means the world to me. I care deeply for him. Not to mention I have most of the fault for allowing myself to transform in the first place.' Aya retorted, driving the stubborn maiden into the darkest corners of her mind. 'Be warned Aya....I will not allow you to take charge anymore.' Ceres replied back, before falling completely silent. The intense energy building inside the blond-haired girl vanished just as quickly as it had appeared. Nostrils flaring defiantly, Aya stumbled to her feet, barely noting how wobbly they felt beneath her. "This isn't good. Ceres carries much hate within her....and I'm afraid another encounter with the Sohma leader wouldn't have such an excellent outcome." Aya grunted softly to herself, stubbornly driving a burdened frame towards the opposite side of the house. The young woman barely reached the corner, when an errie feeling caused her to stop half-way. Breath caught in her throat, the girl fought against temptation. What was holding her back from rounding the corner? Did Ceres sense something she didn't? 'I should wait a bit...to see if Ceres starts acting up again.' For what seemed like an eternity of waiting, she felt nothing inside. Not even a twinge of pain. Had Ceres fallen asleep again? Maybe the tennin was just biding her time, waiting for a chance to spring. Biting on a quivering lower lip, the young woman gathered enough courage to peer at the source of her curiosity. Tossing back stray strands of flaxen hair, Aya's keen hues fell upon a figure seated outside on the porch. From a safe distance the young woman couldn't help noting, how intimidating the man was from a distance. He appeared calm and bitter at the same time. What went through his mind was a total mystery for Aya, but she started to feel a slight tremor in her hands. 'Am I scared? Wait a minute...this trembling signifies only one thing...that young man on the porch is none other then Akito Sohma!' She shrank back towards safety, breathing exceptionally hard for the leaders' mere appearance caused her fury.

And how could one not be angry with life's outcomes? It wasn't fair to everyone. It wasn't far for the Sohma's, especially for such a kind-hearted boy to be treated as trash. "Yuki..." Aya mumbled his name gently, as her body trudged mindlessly away from the edge and towards the front door. 'He has done nothing to hurt me or others. So, how the hell would anyone dream of hurting such a fragile individual? How blind I was to allow such reckless behavior on my part.' Lips thinned into a grim line, the young woman reached the main door within a matter of minutes. Carefully extending a trembling hand, she slid the parchment paper aside to allow herself access into the interior. Darkness. Nothing, but darkness met Aya's eye. Faint sunlight trickled from a few corners on the opposite side of the room, a sure sign that Ceres had been present. 'Not those memories again.' She felt bitterness travel from her stomach to her throat, sickness threatened to make her back out of such an important mission. How cowardly. Was she going to let one bad nightmare spoil her visit? Shaking her head in pure discontentment, the blond-haired woman pulled in a ragged breath, momentarily bracing herself. Eyes wide open and alert, Aya captured faint images of broken pottery still lying on the floor along with the recognizable scent of blood. 'Blood. Yuki's blood.' At the sight, all she could do was battle back tears. Crying wouldn't remedy what has already been broken. She needed to pull herself together for Haru, for Aki and most importantly for Yuki Sohma.

"Hopefully...I'm heading down the right path. I'd hate to run into unexpected visitors." The young woman muttered, before pushing herself down the corridor. Her quick strides slowed down as a single door came into view, Aya froze in mid-stride with an uncertain expression etched across her facial features. What if this wasn't the right room? What if she accidentally ran into Akito's room? "I should take a chance..." After all, this journey would be a waste of time if she gave up so soon. Extending both hands outwards, the blond-haired girl hauled open the door leading into Yuki's resting place. Aya entered slowly, unable to believe just how fragile the zodiac rat looked. The bed he rested on reminded Aya of those television shows, though truth be told she felt fearful inside. But why? Yuki should be breathing fine. He had an excellent doctor who took care of him, gave him the best medical attention. Yet, he couldn't cure the emotional trauma Yuki was living in. He couldn't erase years of desolation and neither could she. Maybe Haru was wrong. Maybe she wasn't the person to heal Yuki Sohma. Maybe she was the one destined to cause him the most anguish? 'It's impossible to know..when I haven't even tried.' Pushing back any fears, the young woman brought back a stool to sit near the silver-haired youth. Azure orbs landed squarely upon his resting body, noticing the many white-red bandages over his slim frame. Time to change those soiled bandages, however Aya knew nothing about proper medical ethic. She would have to ask Hatori next time how to bandage serious wounds. 'Great...I can't even clean him up...all I can do is stay by his side till he reacts...that is if he ever responds.' Reaching out with a left hand, Aya let her fingers stray across Yuki's face, caressing his cheeks and forehead carefully. "Yuki...it's me Aya. I'm here to at least give you some company.." She said to him, while holding back the rest of her sentence. 'And protect you from Akito...but your unresponsive.' Aya sighed softly, letting both hands run in and out of Yuki's silver hair affectionately. Yet, unknown to the girl was Ceres inward actions. The clever tennin opened a private connection towards Yuki, after getting fed up with so many mushy moments. 'How long do you plan on running away from the world? How long are you planning to lie in this state? Wake up! The people are waiting for you...Aya is by your side. Stop being a coward and wake up!' Ceres snapped mentally.

Hatasaru looked at Momiji shaking his head. "I hate it Momiji..." He said softly. "The last time this happened he stopped talking, Hatori says he's completely stopped responding..." He told his cousin, intertwining his fingers as he raised them to his forehead, resting his head on his hands as he spoke, his voice desperate and broken. "I suppose it doesn't seem that suprising the physical pain he went through, but according to Hatori He should of at least awoken by now, responded at any rate." Momiji raised a hand to set it on Haru's shoulder, trying to calm his cousin who he was surprised to find shaking under his touch. "But he hasn't shown any sign of response, he has locked himself away completely into his body...I saw it Momiji, i went to where it happened, i saw the blood, the destruction that took place..." He shook his head, unable to continue. Momiji let out a small cry, tears rising to his eyes. "Poor Yuki..." He said softly, looking up to the sky, which still seemed ironically clear and peaceful. Did the sky know? Did the sky know what was happening right blow it. What a joy it must be to be separated, not bound to anyone by anything. "What is Hatori going to do?" Momiji asked, his voice small. Haru shrugged, still not looking up. "Hatori doesn't want to keep him there longer than he has to because where he is now may make things worse...but he can't afford to move him anywhere farther away, he needs constant attention and Hatori can't give that to him when he's any farther away from a doctor...and he can't bring him to a hospital so..." He didn't bother to finish, they both knew where it was going...it could be a completely hopeless situation. "He may never come back..." Haru finally spoke the words no one wanted to speak. He knew he had just tried to convince Aya the opposite, and he prayed to anyone listening that she would but he wasn't sure.

A long silence drifted between the two, both lost in their own thoughts until another voice interrupted the two of them. Momiji jumped up from his laying position on the ground into a sitting position. It was clear that this wasn't a good time to intervene into their conversation but as Momiji saw him his gaze softened. "Aki..." He whispered in a hushed voice, having seen him in the hallways that he had never stopped to talk to him. He was Aya's brother, he wasn't sure what to say...what does one say to him in a situation like this? He bit his tongue, looking away as he spoke to the two of them, the fact he knew nothing about what was going on quickly apparent. Momiji watched his cousin who still seemed unresponsive, still shaking. Whether it was out of sorrow of anger Momiji could not be sure, but he was thinking probably a combination of the two. After a minute Momiji turned to look Aki, doing what he did best and gave him a smile. It wasn't his normal smile thought, it was a sad smile as he patted the ground beside him. "Yes I'm Yuki-sama's cousin Momiji...Take a seat..." He said softly, watching him sit down. Momiji sighed, this boy... what was he feeling. Momiji tried to figure him out as he watched him. He was ignorant... did he even know about their curse? He didn't know anything, everything could be great as far as he knew. And yet, he knew better, something inside of him was warning him against something he didn't even know. What must that feel like? Not to know... to know something was happening, something was in danger, ever that something big was going on, but not to know. Didn't know the sorrow, the lives ruined. Perhaps it was better not to know, ignore that feeling, act as if there wasn't anything wrong, because once you knew there was no going back.

Momiji glanced at Haru again to see if he was going to jump in, but he remained unmoving, forehead resting on his hands, folded to gether and resting on his knees which were bent up about halfway. "Yuki-sama is hurt very badly and may not be back to school for a while..." He said softly, his explanation vague, though had hadn't completely meant it to be. He fell quiet again, for once the usual chatty teen seeming to be at a loss for words after a long minute he continued, though seeming on a completely different topic. "Aki-Kun...do you believe in curses?" He asked finally, it seemed like a ridiculous question, and he knew it. The question you asked you friends on Halloween during a sleep over. The question you asked for kicks and giggles in the dark of the night. Either way it was a question that had no relevance to real life, a question not asked in a situation like this. And yet Momiji was asking him now, in a time of dire importance. His eyes were serious, "I have to know before i continue." He told him, beside him he saw Haru move for the first time in a while, shift his head to look at his Cousin. Telling anyone about the curse, it was insane and never done. The consequences could be anywhere from social to Akito, and usually resolved only in pain for the zodiac members themselves. Why was Momiji risking it all for this boy, who really had no connection to the situation besides his sister who didn't even seem to what to tell him herself? "Momiji..." He warned lowly, Momiji turning to look at him, their eyes meeting as Haru watched him from behind his hair. Momiji looked away then back at Aki, "He deserves to know..." Momiji said softly, Haru finally looking up, his expression a mixture of so many emotions, all of then painful. "It's not our place...look what happened last time someone 'deserved to know.'" Haru pointed out.

Akito looked around, it was all so still... so calm and peaceful. She hated it. It seemed to grow a life of it's own, taunting her to remind her how along she was. She could feel something growing inside of her, the growing need to destroy it, destroy it all. She hated being alone. She coughed, clearing her thoughts, it scared her, she didn't want to be alone. You're not alone... A cold voice reminded her in her head. She wasn't alone, she had her family, she had the zodiac. They were hers and no one elses. They were together, and would be forever and she would never be alone! Never ever again. This stillness taunted her, well it should be destroyed! All of it, prove to it that it was wrong. She wasn't alone, she had company and always would! 12 of them!! She felt her rage building, though her body was weak wanting nothing more to do it, about to even when suddenly something stopped her. Or maybe it was someone...something familiar that stirred something within her again. Suddenly all her anger cooled, replaced only by an ache of something missing. What was it? She wasn't sure...She looked around, her eyes staying on the corner of the house for a long minute, but nothing happened. Finally she turned her eyes away, slowly inhaling. "What's happening to me?" She asked, speaking softly to herself, seeing as she was the only one there.It all started when that woman showed up... The same voice said in the back of her head as she remember once again the blond haired woman that had almost killed him. The woman whom he had only laughed to, who's aura threatening to kill her had given her nothing but a new found familiarity. Familiarity? She thought to herself, unprepared for the word to come across her thoughts. Why would she be familiar? I've never seen her before in my life... She told herself

Yuki didn't know where he was, his mind wasn't in his body. In fact his mind was far from his body, protecting itself. It had locked it's self away within itself, reliving an lifelong fear that took a life of its own. All he knew was that his thoughts were mangled, his vision blurry. He was wet with something, and he was cold. He knew what from, he had had enough wounds to know what open air felt on cuts that broke though skin. He pulled his legs to his chest and looked around. It was dark...everything was dark. He couldn't see anything, he was alone, cut off from everyone, he was a child again and stuck in a dark room. No matter how much he listed he couldn't hear anything, his ears weren't ever ringing. Had he gone deaf? No...that's not right he could hear his heart thumping in his chest, freezing his whole body. He couldn't move, only pull himself tighter into a ball. maybe if he curled up small enough he would disappear. He turned his head left and right but could see nothing, nothing but an endless darkness, no one and nothing was there. Even if he forced himself to open his eyes he couldn't see his legs in front of his face, so he closed them again, trying to ignore it...pretend he was somewhere else. Maybe he had gone blind? No...that wasn't right either, he couldn't of gone blind. he was scared, and so alone. Where was everyone? What had happened? He couldn't even remember how had had got there...Blood... The words ran through his mind, a image flashing across his mind of a blood soaked wall. Chaos Another thought ran though his head, having no idea where they were coming from as suddenly another images flashed of a shattering pot and this time a scream with it, the scream staying in his head. he curled up tighter, his whole body trembling out of control. Destruction The sideshow continued as Two images flashed this time back to back, the first one that of a whip with a cold cracking noise which held long after the second image of a woman, anger flashing in her eyes as the overbearing aura of death settled on him. He felt himself crying...at least he thought he was crying, it felt like it. Pain The final word seemed to burn into his mind, it was followed by no image only a seering pain that shot though his whole body.

He cried out, screamed, but no sounds could leave his throat, he couldn't talk, no one could hear him...he was alone. Maybe the tree that feel in the forest when no one was around maybe didn't make a sound, maybe... Panic raised in his throat, until something came along and snuffed it. Don't remember... A voice thought to him, or was he telling himself? Just don't try to remember and you will never have to leave...you won't have to remember what happened or any of that..." Yuki nodded to himself, rocking himself back and forth, that's it...he would stay here, he didn't want to see that...he didn't want to be alone...but he was alone. He whimpered, holding himself close when suddenly a voice broke though his silence, a voice that was accompanied only by the image of the woman again, the woman of death... [i]How long do you plan on running away from the world? How long are you planning to lie in this state? Wake up! The people are waiting for you...Aya is by your side. Stop being a coward and wake up! The words were cold and harsh. What was she talking about? Why was he running away? What state was he lying in? He was a coward? and what did she mean by wake up? Suddenly the voice form earlier returned, whispering into his ear again. You don't want to know, you don't want to remember...ignore her, her words will bring only pain... The voice continued, but despite himself he felt himself rising, rising out of something. The darkness seemed to be getting lighter, or was that just him? Where was he going? With every moment the voice in his head grew louder. Don't do it Yuki! You don't want to know what's up there! DON'T GO! The voice screaming in his head, but too late as his mind escaped it's haven, all at once all the memories flying back to him. He gasped, his eyes flew wide open, unseeing. He felt something, a hand on his face. Who was touching him?! He moved away from the hand with a jerk. While his mind may of been sleeping his body wasn't, the nerves still worked and pain shot up his body as he moved more violently then he had anticipated, falling off the bed and onto the floor with a thud.

'Is it wrong to know what is ailing my sister? Don't I have a right as her brother to know?' The blond-haired youth tucked a stray golden strand behind his ear, blue-violet hues flickering uncertainly between faces. Who could he trust of the two? What secrets were they hiding? Was is their fault Aya acted oddly? Aki swallowed nervously for he knew by pure instinct alone, that Haru knew more about his flesh and blood then he did. Was it fair to have a complete stranger knowing her secrets? Was it fair to him? Or was he just a selfish brat wanting attention? 'Me? A brat? How can I call myself a brat if...all I'm doing is looking out for Aya's welfare.' He was her older brother. Not by years. Nor by attitude alone. He had been born a few minutes earlier, then his twin. Yet, that didn't matter, right? He still needed to know. Perhaps, The blond-haired male would be able to help his younger sister get out of trouble, or prevent Aya from falling into an eternal depression. Dropping both hands limply to the side, the young man re -focused his attention on both Sohma boys. One lying on the lush green, while the other sat in utter silence. Unmoving. Completely unresponsive to his sudden appearance. Would he have to talk louder to get Haru's attention? Did he have to get aggressive? Bad idea. He could sense an intense atmosphere surrounding Momiji and Haru, by the likes that he had never experienced before. The electric tension weighed over his shoulders, heart and neck, to thick to be relieved by the aid of pain pills. Yet, he knew it wasn't bodily pain his body suffered from. No. It was that familiar ache one gets when left out of games. 'Left out....' His mind returned back to Aya momentarily. Why did he just think of being left out? Was his mind just conjuring hurtful images to make him leave? The blond-haired male shook every thought from his head, gradually moving blue hues to focus intently upon Momiji. A genuine smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, but at the same time Aki's lips veiled a thin bitterness. Bitter-sweetness. At least someone would give him the answers to his questions or so he assumed. "Nice to meet you Momiji." He opened his mouth to introduce himself, only to pause as the words died in his throat. There was no need for introductions on his part. Momiji obviously knew he was Aya's older brother. But how? Who told him? Haru? Yuki? Maybe Aya herself? He pushed away the assumptions, before accepting Momiji's invitation to sit down. Scuffling timidly forward, the young man sat down with knees crossed at the joint, his facial expression full of intense emotions. 'I might bit biting off more, then I can chew.' He couldn't help feeling slightly fearful. Whatever, Momji wanted to tell him looked serious enough to even drive the rational Haru into dead silence. Yet, what was it? Did it pertain to how Aya was acting? Did she hurt them? Aki wanted to know. No. He needed to know. He was hungry for knowledge, no matter how serious it was.

He lived in darkness, while the other's had enlightenment. He coursed between danger and safety, even if the line Aki skirted on led him into danger. 'Aki...wouldn't it be better to turn away? Wouldn't it be best to know nothing...instead of having a dreadful weight in your heart?' His rational mind kicked into maximum overdrive, sending warning bells up and down his spinal cord. Ignorance was bliss. However, knowing wouldn't be so helpful if he only knew what had and was occurring. Aki would probably go insane with what his sister was dealing with. 'No. I won't back out. I will know even if it kills me.' He snapped scornfully at his subconscious, until the rational sentences faded into oblivion. Aki Mikage brought himself out of an induced daydream, his head moving sideways to listen to the zodiac rabbit. The news coming from Momiji's lips hit Aki like a freight train, his face become devoid of any color "Yuki hurt? How? Why? When? That's horrible." He couldn't stop his mouth from utter question after question, after all seeing Yuki Sohma at school had been a daily routine till now. 'Shut it.' Stopping himself from stammering anymore, the youth fell into a long silence. His expression turning thoughtful as his mind connected Yuki's disappearance to Aya's stranger behavior. So, that was the reason! What terrible accident had befallen Yuki? Was the boy alright? A flood of questions rose inside the young man, though it vanished instantly.

Eyebrow raised up in curiosity, Aki diverted his undivided attention upon the younger Sohma. Falling completely silent, the young man pulled in a few shallow breaths for his chest started to ache with an unfamiliar pain. What he heard next knocked the wind out of Aki and he grappled with the absurd idea of curses. Gulping hard, the teenager managed to regain a hold of himself, before answering in a truthful tone "I've been a skeptic of curses." He muttered to the zodiac rabbit, perhaps not knowing he was ruining his chance of finding out what he had been seeking to learn "However....things have changed over the last few days." In truth Aki had heard his mother utter about a special curse running in the family, but he couldn't believe her without proof. 'Curses? Curses are just the stuff of legend! These people are pulling your leg!' Were they really lying to him? Or was the curse completely real? He sought to understand where Momiji wanted to lead him, even if his patience was wearing thin. The sudden sounds of shifting caused Aki to move his gaze upon the white-haired Sohma. He was finally moving. Now would be a good time to grill Haru for questions. Lips parted open, yet no sound came out for Haru's voice carried a low tone of warning. Any words Aki wanted to whisper died in his throat as he witnessed the two cousins speaking between themselves. Anger sprang into the boy's blue eyes as his lips parted finally released what they had kept shut "What is so secret that I don't need to know?" Aki replied bluntly "I..I need to know what is wrong with Aya? What is happening to her? She has changed every since meeting Yuki." He didn't know if his words were offensive or rough. He didn't meant to sound so pushy over a subject that was clearly painful for Haru to mention. Aki probably failed to realize his voice was rising out of control and that it could him into enemy territory. "If no one tells me...I'll just have to force it out of Aya." The blond-haired youth growled.

*****Pathetic. How pathetic to see Yuki Sohma in such a deteriorated state. How pathetic it was to see the once vibarant boy acting cowardly. Where had his bravery gone too? Why had he taken shelter in the worst of places? Couldn't at least make an effort to face reality? The Celestial Maiden watched from the safety of Aya's body, her cold and calculating eyes widened slightly in astonishment. She hadn't meant for the words to be so harsh, but that's what made Ceres who she was. Cold. Cunning. Ruthless. Incapable of respecting those in distress. Or was she truly heartless? Was she truly capable of causing misery to those in need? The Tennin reached out from the darkness, hands extended as if to capture Yuki in mid-flight, but infact she was searching for another reason to emerge. Another chance to see Earth in person. Being imprisoned within a human body was not particularly appealing, for she desired freedom above anything else. So, why did she interfere in Yuki's mind? Did she care about him? No. That wasn't the reason. Was it for Aya Mikage? Did it pain her to see such a fragile girl wallowing in agony? Did Aya and Yuki's sorrow touch a part of her that had long died? ' I too loved a man with great fervor....but that love was enough to kill us both. Yet, why am I here wanting to wake Yuki up? Why am I interfering in the life of my great granddaughter? Do I want her to suffer...just like I did almost 3000 years ago? Is the cycle of pain and destruction to continue?' The tennyo mused silently to herself, unaware that Aya tapped into the telepathic connection leading to Yuki's mind. 'Ceres! Look at what you've done?! Criticizing Yuki...hurting him with harsh words will not mend his heart. You'll make him worse...but I can see the damage has already been done.' Aya snapped through the link, between her and the Celestial Maiden. Angry blue eyes met with shimmering gold ones, till Ceres broke off complete access to Yuki's mind. 'Where are you going? Don't tell me your ashamed of facing me? What happened to the bravery displayed earlier?' Aya didn't understand. She would never understand why Ceres acted hostile towards men and anyone like Akito. The blond-haired girl hadn't experienced such an obsessive attitude like the one the Sohma leader display. That man reminded the Tennin of someone she cared not to remember. Reminded of a past, that had taken centuries to heal. Had she even managed to seal her bleeding heart? Ceres placed a single trembling hand against her chest, feeling the faint beats thumping through her being. 'Not my body...but that of my descendant. I lost my real body long ago.' The Tennin curled into a tiny ball, hands and feet pulled protectively towards her slender frame. Fragments of energy surrounded the raven-haired woman until Ceres fell back into sleep. Leaving a bewildered Aya on the outside to deal with her issues alone.

Gone. Just like that Ceres was gone. Her aura. Her vile attitude. All vanished into the darkness, as the blond-haired girl struggled to comprehend what had happened. What occurred anyway? How had the tennin gained exclusive access to Yuki's mind? What words had the raven-haired Tennyo told him? Were her words enough to push the delicate rat further into oblivion? The blond-haired girl attempted to sift through all the pieces Ceres had broken. Yet, all was in vain. The damage had been done. 'Why! Why him!?' She screamed in silent frustration, hands clenched into very tight fists. Why had Ceres interfered? Did she want the poor boy to vanish within himself? Did she hate Yuki that much? The questions were many, but the answers few. The young woman couldn't even begin to process the events that had happened until it was to late. Sensitive ears caught the familiar sound of gasps coming from the bed and Aya twisted swiftly around to see Yuki's violet orbs opening. 'How did Ceres convince Yuki to wake up? Especially, when her words were anything...but gentle? He is awake, but I can't nothing how lifeless his eyes look.' Those violet orbs of Yuki looked glazed. Unseeing. Almost as if he were dead. There was no response from him, even as the blond-haired girl searched frantically for a solution. She needed to snap the boy from his nightmarish dream. But how? How could she wake him up without causing further injury?"Kami...help me please. I don't know what else to do." Aya prayed feverishly beneath her breath, blue hues beginning to fill with salty tears. Not that again. She didn't want to break out crying, but seeing Yuki in this condition was enough to break her heart into a million peices. Poor boy. Poor Yuki Sohma. How had a gentle-hearted youth end up half-dead in life? Who was to blame? Akito? The curse? Or herself? Aya clenched sapphire hues shut, knowing the fault laid with her. Recklessness, such recklessness running through her veins. She should have listened to the Sohma leader. She should have heeded Akito's warning. 'It's not like I can pretend Akito never warned me. We were both warned....but to come to this? To torture Yuki just for disobedience...now that is extreme. He didn't deserve this...' Lips thinned into a displeased line. The outcome was bad. And who else could she blame? Herself. None other then herself for being stupid. 'Enough.' Aya drove away all the thoughts from her mind, while turning haggard facial features back to the silver-haired youth. "Yuki?' The blond-haired girl questioned in concern and immediately she gasped in horror as Yuki's body seemed to move of it's own accord. He jerked abruptly away from her touch, almost as if she would end up hurting him. "Wait! You'll hurt yourself! Calm down!" She pleaded in desperation, yet her pleas were in vain. The young man had already lost his balance and plummeted to the cold ground below.

'No! You'll bleed more! Please stop moving around!' This wasn't supposed to happen. Why? Why had she allowed Yuki to fall into this state? Was he beyond repair? 'Giving up. Give up already Aya. It is too late to undo what has been damaged.' Her rational mind whispered, but her heart refused to listen. How could she give up so easily? She refused to let Haru down. Refused to see Yuki in anguish. Aya would make sure to stretch herself thin if it was possible to bring back the rat from the abyss. There had to be a light at the end of the tunnel. "I refuse to give in now. I've caused enough errors in my life...now is the time to grow a backbone." She hissed to herself, despite the torrent of tears streaming down her face. With a shaky hand raised skywards, Aya scrabbled angrily at her stubborn emotions. Drop upon drop of crystalline-like liquid trailed down her sculpted cheekbone, leaving behind a faded trail of sorrow. Each individual tear containing it's own sad story as they fell down to the cold floor below. Unheeded. Unloved. Not remembered. The words ran through her mind, reminding the young woman off how alone Yuki Sohma had been through out his life. He was surrounded by 12 members of the zodiac, adored by the girls at school, admired by the guys..so why should he be isolated from the world? The zodiac curse. That terrible curse Yuki suffered. Those times he had been tormented as a child, sold to Akito because he was 'special'. It wasn't right. He didn't need this suffering! Glossy lips parting softly, Aya let out a slight whimper as she jumped down from the stool and onto the floor.

Disheveled blond hair falling over her facial features, the young woman crawled on hands and knees towards Yuki's fallen body. The path was dark. Visibility made impossible by her own anguish.. 'What should I do? Yuki's on the floor...he is already seriously injured! Should I call Hatori for assistance!?' She flickered her head back and forth between Yuki, the door and her own frozen body. Just what good would it do to scream for assistance? What if Akito caught wind off her? After all, the Sohma leader was still outside on the porch. Not to mention Akito's temperament was unpredictable. So, what should she do? The young woman swallowed hard for she had never been in a medical emergency before, at least not at this level. Instinctively, Aya lunged at Yuki with arms extended to embrace his wounded body. 'He'll transform...but it's best then having him flailing around.' En-lacing fingertips together, the blond-haired girl pulled the silver-haired Sohma close to her body, even though he could end up hurting her if his struggles escalated further. "Yuki! Please stop struggling so much! You'll only end up making those wounds worse!" Aya cried out, hoping her words would reach him "I..I'm here with you now! Your not alone anymore....I won't leave your side." Hot tears sprang down her blue eyes, going unheeded as the young woman cried "I..I want you to get better...because without you my world has no meaning...." Aya said in broken syllables "You mean everything to me...Yuki-Kun."

Momiji watched Haru, his cousin refusing to meet his eyes. Momiji knew he was right, needless things like this is what led to what happened to Yuki, to the very pain his sister was going through now. Why did he want to know? Why didn't he just trust his sister, turn away and act like nothing was going on. He was doing for the very reason that led to him asking. Ignorance. Ignorance is what left him angry and left out, it's what fueled that desire to know. And yet wasn't if because of that ignorance that he was asking? If he knew, would he still want to know? There was no going back. Momiji believed it was better to remember, to never get up and triumph over all the pain and sorrow in your life. Forgetting, pretending it didn't happen was giving up. You had to fight, fight with all you had for what you loved. Ignorance made people happy, but it was cruel. Momiji believed that you always fight, always try, things would be ok. You fought with what you know, you fight against you're past. Was it the same thing to deprive someone of their future by ruining the ignorance they had now? Momiji wasn't sure. If he knew, Momiji believed with his whole heart the right thing to do was to keep going, and fighting agianst those memories, to let yourself heal. The truth was he didn't know? Was it ok then to tell someone something and start that pain? Momiji closed his eyes softly to himself, looking away form his cousin, another question burning in the back of his mind now. If his mother had known about the curse...would it of been better for them to never have a child? Momiji shook his head feircely, shaking the thoughts out of his head. What was meant to happen would happen and our only choice was to fight and keep moving. The question here was, was it meant to happen?

"Yuki-sama is...alive, that's what is important." Momiji answered, looking over at the boy again, still avoiding most of the questions. He didn't want to lie...he didn't want rumers to spread around, but he still wasn't sure if he was ready to tell him the truth. Could he handle it? Momiji looked down at his hands unsure of what to do Aki was suffering because he didn't know, the rest of them were suffering because they did. What could he do? Even if he knew? He couldn't solve anything...there wasn't anything he could do about it? He'd only get in the way right? make things harder for Aya...whatever she WAS going to do. At least that's the way Haru saw it. Yuki didn't need everyone knowing and worrying over him...in fact it it only made it worse, Kisa had proven that. Couldn't he just be happy?! Happy to know someone close is suffering? A voice asked in the back of his head but he dismissed it. Even if everything turns up in ruins...if everything fails and she can't do anything...she's the one who can return the closest to a normal life in time... He reminded silent though as he let the two speak for now.

Momiji bit his lip, a skeptic. A nice way to say he thought he was full of crap. He could only imagine what was going through his head right now. Not that he blamed him he supposed, if he hadn't had the (mis)fortune of being cursed himself he wasn't sure if he would or not. Either way the idea was long gone, to him. He heard Haru scoff beside him at Aki's answer, turning to look at his cousin, as if to remind him of where they were, and who all could hear him. Haru shrugged, keeping his lips sealed, figuring right now that was probably a better option. He didn't want to deal with this, he didn't want to deal with Aki and his problems, Haru had enough problems and concerns of his own, he was on no place to be helping any. To be honest, he didn't have the fuse for it. They've changed huh? Enough to make you a firm believer that our family's not completely insane and all you're answers exist in a world you've never believed existed? He thought to himself, though to be honest he wasn't convinced his family wasn't insane...just in a different way. He watched his shorter cousin as he went on with much more patience than Haru had. "Before I can tell you you have to know where you stand in you're beliefs and be sure you're ready to live in a different world." Momiji told him slowly, biting his lip. His emotions, which had always been sensitive, were on over drive. He just wasn't sure, and everything was shaking his world, leaving him unsure of what to believe. For now, he held tight and fast to what he had, he wasn't going to waver but still...just in case he was wrong , or even right, he didn't want to mess anyone else's lives up that didn't need it.

Momiji could feel the tension in his cousin, like a rubber band wound too tight that if released would unwind out of control, even break. It was Aki's last comment that as soon as he finished Momiji almost winced. Not only because the words were semi-harsh to his family though, though he did supposed they deserved a little of that, it wasn't like they could do anything about it though. Also because he knew what was going to happen next. Haru slowly turned to look at him. "There's a reason we call it a secret, and it isn't so we can tell it to ever over sensitive boy who's relatives have become involved in our affairs." He was was cold as ice, his eyes flashing dangerously. Momiji sighed, pulling his knees all the way to his chest and setting his forehead on his knees, debating on himself what to do. He had sensed this coming, but he had hoped it wouldn't of been now or here. Unfortunately Aki had touched a sore spot bringing up a 'secret' and blaming Yuki as the reason for his sisters sudden change. "Lucky for you sister she managed to do that anyway. Yuki never asked her to become involved, hell he didn't even want her involved. He never did anything to change you're sister in a way YOU don't approve of. If you have a problem what don't you just fucking talk to her about it? Not force it out because you know what? No... you know what? It's not even her fucking place to tell you. It's Yuki and unfortunately for you he's unable to even give his consent so why don't you stop prying into business that doesn't concern you? Or maybe the fact that he can't even move is good news to you now huh? After all he won't be able to TAINT you're precious sister and she'll stop acting so weird. Then the two of you can go live happly ever after without a care in the world and never have to worry about us troublesome Sohma's! Is that it? Well then go! This is a family matter and frankly, you don't qualify." Hatasaru was on his feet be now, glaring at him, there was an unreadable look in his eye, like one of a wild animal without control. It was dangerous, daring. Momiji shook his head, Black Haru He thought to himself, recognizing the alter-ego of his cousin that was offering Aki this one chance to leave before anything happened. If he was smart he'd take the offer and leave, come back later, wait it out...something.

Yuki didn't know where he was? It was bright, brighter than where he had been though the lighting was still incredibly dim. The floor beneath his was hard and smooth. He was long, he was here but his mind still not focused as he found himself in a ball again, protecting himself from the pain that had jolted through the wounds into his body. His breaths were ragged and troubled. He had never had problems with breathing since he was a small kid, why was it breathing was so hard to do, he was having trouble getting enough air. It only made it worse as he pulled on his arm, his thin nails raking his arms as he shut his eyes. Someone had been touching him...but who?All he remembered was Akito stroking his face which he had done often while talking to him. it sent shivers down his spine as he dug his nails into his skin, gasping for another breath. Suddenly he felt someone approaching, scrambling away, trying to focus his vision on the figure, but he couldn't quite seem to lock it it. He bumped his head on the the leg of the bed. He winced, but not just because of the injury. So many things were happening at once who was...

Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted as he felt his body change into that of a rat. He longer curled in a ball his whole body shook as he looked around, trying to focus on the words he just now realized were being spoken. Aya... The name passed though his mind like a warm wind as he was lifted and set back onto the bed. With the name he was strongly reminded him of all they they had been through, all that had happened. He squeezed his small eyes shut, laying shivering on the bed before slowly looking up at her, his purple eyes the same as he watched her. What should he say? What would be appropriate? Maybe I'm sorry would be accurate? It hadn't been right to involve her. He got ready to say something and found quite simply that he couldn't.... as he opened his mouth to speak a cold tightness closed his throat as if warning him not to talk, not to make a sound. And he found he couldn't...didn't want to... maybe that was better after all. Yes...it must be... He thought to himself as he raised his paws to cover his eyes, wanting nothing more then to just keep getting smaller and smaller until there was nothing left.

.Tell me..What do they see. When they look at me? .Do they see my many personalities.ღ

Anger. He felt a tremendous amount of savage fury building in his heart. The type of anger Aki Mikage couldn't compare to the anguish his twin sister felt. Had he known the truth from the beginning, perhaps his unspeakable ignorance would have served as a shield. 'Look at what you've made me do Aya. I'm exploding over innocent people here!' His mind screamed in desperation, searching around for the scape-goat to vent his frustration over. 'Let me give you some sound advice for the future Aki. That sister of yours will grow up to having an insolent attitude. Just like her father...she'll make you get in trouble if not controlled.' Grandpa's wise words before his sixteenth birthday, the day he had been removed from his sibling's side. Why? Why had the family dragged him away from Aya? Did they know something he didn't? Could she have been misbehaving in secret? He didn't know. Nor did he want to assume other dark possibilities. However, the young man believed in his heart that Yuki Sohma had been the one to cause more impact in Aya. 'She was never really open to guys...until now. I never saw her hanging out with any of the opposite sex till now.' Was he jealous that Aya was becoming more independent now? Or was he disturbed by her sudden change in attitude? One day she had been an out-going girl and the next an aggressive female. Could it be a psychological problem? Maybe split personality disorder? Aki shook his head savagely, ridding himself of the what if's. He couldn't allow himself to focus on Aya, when there was a new issue presenting itself. Suffocating tension gripped him by the throat, constricting his breathing until Momiji reassured him Yuki Sohma was alive. But, how did the popular boy have the accident in the first place? "I.." He tried speaking, even though his words threatened to become a jumbled mass of gibberish sentences rolled into one "I am glad Yuki is alive..." The blond-haired youth would have added 'well' to the end of his words, but an instinct told him not to. Would that have made him sound inhumane? Like he could careless about what happened to Yuki Sohma as a whole? No. He wasn't some heartless swine. He was gentle. Usually Aki would be a rational and placid being, but today was the exception. Today his own ignorance was leading him down the road to nowhere. To a catastrophe waiting to happen. Gritting his teeth together against the mounting frustration, the young man flipped his gaze between Momiji and Haru. Wise and angry. Rational and irrational. He could see the distinction between both Sohma cousins, though frankly his mind was past caring. All he wanted were answers. Anything to settle the beast in his heart. While, he waited for the smaller boy to answer his questions, Aki thought back to his original words, Skeptic. He had always been a skeptic of magic, of legends. Especially when it involved curses. He didn't believe in curses, for he wanted solid proof. Not just meaningless words. Aki wanted the real thing.

'I don't mean to sound so rude...or like I'm offending anyone...but curses are so absurd,' Had he been younger in age, the belief in curses would have been strong in him. Now, that Aki Mikage was a fully matured teenager, he knew science dispelled such rumors. Yet, what about the other occurrences science couldn't fully test? Like ghosts? Or spirits? Or maybe the way spoke about hearing voices in her head? The young man shook his head, removing the current conversation from mind for it didn't matter to him anymore. Instead, his gazed flickered from Momiji to Haru's who was now turning slowly to look at him. Blue hues met dangerously stormy grey ones. The cold and icy look was enough to drive shivers up Aki's spinal cord, but it wasn't related to fear. Not at all. He wasn't fearful of Haru Sohma. What had happened to the usually placid Aki? The blond-haired youth who was usually acting as peace-keeper? What happened to his philosophy of peace? Had it all gone down the drain? Was he doomed to commit a mistake, he might later come to regret? Aki's own azure hues narrowed to mere slits showing that he wasn't afraid to stand his ground. Broad shoulders squaring, jawline tightening Aki said nothing for a few minutes. His mellow nature began to melt away revealing another aspect of the Mikage Family line. Aggression. 'Take in a deep breath! Hurry...let's leave this place before a fight breaks out!' His mind screamed out at him, as if to warn him that it wasn't to late to turn back. It would be better to just walk off while he had a chance. Let their problems settle down. Cool their temperaments, so they could have decent conversation free of misunderstanding. However, Aki's egotistical pride was on the line. The youth couldn't afford to walk away as if nothing happened. Haru was being rude! Just plain rude. In fact, both boys were being rude to each other...yet none of them seemed to notice. "Don't you assume feelings that I do not have! I have not expressed any happiness at Yuki's condition! So, don't go putting fucking words in my mouth." The boy snarled, his language becoming polluted with foul words. "Though frankly, you've come up with a brilliant suggestion Haru." Aki stated acidly, his lips curling downwards in a bitter smile "It wouldn't be good for both now to taint each other, but don't worry about Aya coming to find Yuki. I won't allow her to see him again...if that's what it takes to solve this unpleasant issue between them." He growled disdainfully, his spite-filled words rising out of control for every second. There was no turning back now that Aki had decided to become conflictual.

*********************

'Foolish child. My poor foolish descendant...haven't you learned at all? Hasn't all this pain discouraged you? Aren't you the least bit tired of dealing with Yuki Sohma? The boy doesn't deserve your sadness...he doesn't deserve tears...he deserves nothing. He needs to deal with his issues alone..after all he has 11 other cursed members to join him in misery. You and I don't need to hear or feel the pain....we don't need to deal with sorrow. Trust me....I know what is good for you.' That voice. The same voice she heard every night. The same voice that filled Aya Mikage with misery and fear. The infamous angel of the family. Bringer of death. Why couldn't Ceres understand her motives? Was the Tennin self-fish enough, that she was willing to leave Yuki Sohma to wallow in agony? "Foolish? You dare to call me a fool? Why the hell can't you leave me alone for even a minute?! I want silence...I want to think without your opinions....because frankly...I don't give a damn! I'll stick with Yuki till the end. Even, if it means crying tears of blood...I'll continue until I'm no longer needed.' Her mental cries came to an abrupt end, as the Celestial maiden twisted inside Aya. Different emotions ranging from fierce anger, heart-breaking sorrow, dark hatred swirled inside the blond-haired female. Sapphire hues snapped shut against the assult, for she knew wincing in pain would alert everyone else to the internal battle for control. One body. Two distinct personalities. One human girl fighting to maintain herself afloat, while an ancient Tennyo struggled to gain traction. An ever rising battle filled with anguish. A never-ending fight with a spirit that resembled herself in everything, but attitude. 'Do you really detest me that much?' The raven-haired female demanded from the depths, her eyes opening to reveal shimmering pools of molten gold, from which fire threatened to spark. 'Are you capable of hating the founder of the Mikage family? I am the mother to everyone of you....I can easily end the family line with a single snap of my fingers. Yet...I find no need to shed blood.' The Tennin whispered "I seek to return 'home'...however I must remind you that it was I who saved you from being killed. It was I who interfered between Yuki and Akito. I was the one who brought justice to this family!' Her words brought on chills through out Aya's slender frame. 'A gun. Aki being taken away. I was left completely alone to face my own father. I'm supposed to be dead! I should be dead....I deserve it...because I've brought nothing..but trouble to everyone's lives. Yuki lies in this condition due to my interference...I should have been able to prevent such a disaster!' A rush of coldness rushed up and down Aya's spinal cord momentarily bringing her back from her fantasy world. "Yuki..." The young woman whispered his name beneath her breath. Tucking the delicate rat into her arms, Aya struggled to rise from the cold ground. Eyes blinded by old tears, the young woman had trouble seeing the path. "I can hardly see where the bed lies. It should be in front of me." She muttered to herself, relying heavily on her photographic memory to lead her in the right direction.

Dim. The room was to bleary for Aya's liking, yet what could she do? Turning on another light would only hurt Yuki's sensitive eyes. Not to mention the possibility of bringing in unwanted attention from Akito Sohma. 'I want to make Yuki comfortable...but I don't know whether my presence scares him or if he harbors another emotion towards me. What if he feels an eternal loathing for me? I can not blame him at all for directing his feelings against me....I did more damage to him...then I thought was possible.' What was she talking about? What if she was wrong? No. She wasn't wrong. The blond-haired woman shook away the thoughts in a vain attempt to keep herself from becoming negative, but it was a useless tactic. 'Typical. I'm jumping to conclusions again. I shouldn't work my self up for events that might occur. Yet, one thing is certain....I'm going to find a way to break both the Sohma and Mikage curse...I will find a way to free all of us from those painful chains.' Aya glanced down at the silver-colored rat in her arms, azure orbs shimmering with resolve. Yes, she would attempt to break the curse. Well, attempt wasn't exactly the word she was looking for. Instead the blond-haired woman had to work by action, not by words for the wind could sweep promises away. Actions always did speak louder, then words. Foot steps echoed faintly beneath Aya as she staggered towards the bed in the distance, lips thinned into a bitter smile. What use was it trying to break a curse anyway? She didn't even know where to begin with? How would she break the Sohma spell without knowing what caused it in the first place? Or her own for that matter? Maybe, her ideas were to absurd. Maybe, giving up was her best option. With the large amount of questions swirling in her mind, the young woman reached the bed several minutes later. Aya laid Yuki down on the soft mattress with a gentle dip of her left arm, and with a right arm the young girl pulled a blanket over the frightened zodiac rat. "That should keep you from freezing." Aya whispered, dropping both arms against her hips. Facial features turned downwards, she glanced down at Yuki's animal form. He appeared to be wide awake, but still his eyes reflected a deep fear that filled her with deep sorrow. 'Gomen...' One word was all her mind could conjure up. One pathetic word. Sorry. Sorry wouldn't cut it. Being apologetic would not reverse time nor would it make Yuki feel better. 'Disappear...' Where was she getting those words from 'Hated...' Was it Ceres stirring inside of her again? Aya searched internally for the Tennyo's energy source, only to find her search fruitless. Again she was gone. Vanished from space like a ship eaten by a black hole. Throwing dirt on frantic feelings, the young woman focused full attention on Yuki's bodily gestures. He was indeed awake, just as she had suspected. His violet orbs glanced her way, though at the same time Aya swore to seeing a glaze in them. At least he recognized her. That what mattered. Or did she expect another outcome? Did she expect miracles to suddenly bloom?

In truth she had been hoping feverishly for a miracle. Anything that would relieve the tension and sadness in this room. 'Truthfully I don't know if miracles exist. Even though Ceres' harsh words served in waking him up...I'm not sure how well Yuki-Kun is internally.' The blond-haired girl thought silently to herself "Wait a minute is looking at me?' Azul hues moved from the floor and onto the bed, where Yuki Sohma laid in his animal form. The hairs on Aya's neck rose on end, as she locked gazes with Yuki. Heavy silence reigned through the room, interrupted only by the Sohma's attempt to speak. What would he say? What would Yuki's voice sound like? The blond-haired woman couldn't help leaning forward, facial expression softening for she realized the silver-haired youth remained trapped within himself. He wasn't ready to talk. At least not yet. Though Aya reckoned being awake was better, then being trapped inside a dark dream. Raising her hand timidly to the rat's small head, she rubbed his soft fur tenderly "Don't force yourself...Yuki. Speak..whenever you're ready." Aya replied lowly, immediately pulling her hand away from the young man. She supposed harmless gestures would only serve in reminding Yuki of Akito's beating, so she decided to keep any sign of affection to herself. What now? He won't speak. Won't even look at her anymore, maybe it was time to leave him alone to rest. With a small whimper rising in her throat, the half-tennin settled her intent gaze on the front door leading into the hallway. Escape. Freedom. Fresh air. Refuge from a medical room smelling of disinfectant, stale air and dried blood. Refuge from the overwhelming guilt clawing it's way up Aya's mouth. She had the unpleasant urge to scream all her anguish to the world. She wanted to let the four winds know of her fault. Even if she did yell, what good would that do? It would just serve in bringing disaster knocking at her front door. What about her promise? 'Heh...what promise? The one I made to Haru?' Did the white-hair Sohma honestly think Aya Mikage was capable of helping Yuki Sohma from his nightmares? Did he not realize she had a devil inside? One who was waiting patiently for the right moment to strike? How would the rest of the Sohma's Family react to knowing what her altered-ego did? 'The scent of blood spilled across the wall, Yuki's pained cries, A voice that didn't belong to me. The voice belonging to the angel of death...the angel of disaster. The woman who is none other then me...' Aya stiffened as previous events rose to haunt her vision, sending the young woman into a realm where imagination could turn into reality. She needed to leave this house at once, but what about Yuki. Before the blond-haired girl understood what was going on, her body was already leaning against the front door, hand grasped around the bronze knob.

"I...I don't remember even moving an inch." She muttered to herself, bewildered eyes glancing between Yuki and freedom. Would she give into these deep desires for freedom? Would she leave the zodiac rat alone, now that he was awake? Aya shook her head. Of course not. She wouldn't leave him alone to deal with his demons, the young woman would spend the night keeping tabs on Yuki's progress. "Can't do this...I can't leave him. It wouldn't be right to just up and leave like this." Aya discarded her one chance at salvation to be with the zodiac rat. Biting on her lower lip wearily and with an air of uncertainty, the young woman tried to establish a mental connection with Yuki. 'Do not be afraid Yuki...I won't leave this place tonight...' She tried reassuring him in a warm voice, but found herself having issues with disguising her sadness 'Also...I..I'm sorry for the trouble...I've brought upon you.' Hands clenched tightly, the young woman broke off the connection abruptly. Hot tears threatened to fall again as Aya stumbled towards an empty bed. Her mind filled with unpleasant thoughts of all the consequences looming in the future.

Momiji nodded, "We're very lucky he's alive..." Momiji told him, realizing he was probably giving out more information than he needed to, if anything making it worse for Aki. He bit his lip, he didn't know what to do. When he looked into Aki's eyes all he was was suffering. He wasn't ignorant of suffering, he saw it every day in all 13 members of his family. But this wasn't his family, this was an innocent man suffering because of their family. All he wanted was to give him what he wanted, but who would say that would make it better? Would it make it worse? Maybe it wouldn't even change...would he laugh in Momiji's face and laugh it off? Momiji grimaced at the thought. Why after so many years does it still bother you? He asked himself, but he knew the answer, and there was nothing he could do about it. They were cursed but still human, it was a curse because they were still human. It was proof that they were still alive, the fear, pain and suffering. But not like Yuki went though... He reminded himself, glancing as Aki as he began to speak again. Momiji's heart sank, looking up at him with a sad but resolved expression. He stood slowly, knowing what was about to happen and not wanting to get in the way. He hoped all would be ok... "I'm sorry Aki...but in that case I can't tell you..." He said slowly. "Until you can believe in the impossible, i can't tell you what troubles all our hearts..." He told him, wincing at his next words as if they attacked him personally, glancing at Haru who was fuming in silence by this point.

Haru snarled, "You're right you all but said it." He hissed, his words dripping with venom. "The boy laying beaten who can hardly move in his bed is responsible for all of you're sisters suffering, and the reason she's changed." He told him, his words dripping with sarcasm, insulting his ignorance. "Let me tell you something, she was messed up before she met us BUD." He emphasized the last word. His body was shaking... he couldn't take it any longer. Without thinking he lunged at him, his foot lunging at his stomach. Aa he foot met skin he sent the boy sprawling across the lawn. "You think you're so brave an noble don't you? Well i have something to tell you, there are no hero's here. You think you can control her? Well i got something to tell you, she has more power in her pinky than you do in you're entire body. You have no idea who your sister is, and it's all because you can't fucking get over yourself. You think you're so self-righteous and all powerful? There's nothing you can do about it! Nothing! So accept it already!" With each word he shot another blow at him, hitting any open part of the body he could, it was easy when your opponent knew hardly anything about self-defense. If he wasn't so upset with him and in his black mood he would of felt bad, but he didn't have the emotions to feel bad about it right now.

"You you realize that you are only making it worse for her? So get the hell away from me! Stay away from us! And above all, leave Yuki out of all of this. He was nothing but nice! He has nothing but the kindest heart that has been through enough without you and you're damn mopping! you think you have something to complain about? Huh? Do you?" He asked pausing in his attack to glare at him. He was panting, his full force put into hit hits. What little control he had he was using to not kill the boy. It was wrong maybe, but he didn't care. He didn't know who he thought he was. he was suffering maybe, but they all were. He seemed to think he was suffering the most or knew best and it pissed him off. "Get it through you're skull, the only think keeping you from the truth is yourself." he told him darkly before giving him another hit that sent him sprawling. By now a crowd had gathered. Though their location had been private the ruckus had attracted a lot of attention, and people had come to see what was going on.

Yuki watched her, unsure of what to do what to say. His whole body hurt, he was in pain and every shadow seemed to taunt him, getting ready to strike. He looked at Aya and saw only hopelessness. What had he done? This was all his fault...he felt silent tears rising, how had it come to this? He shivered, the movement prickling up his spine. He felt the soft bead back beneath him, the blank was warm. Her sorrow only made his feel worse as he saw her walk away in a sort of a days. As she did he felt his body transform back into him, he didn't want her to go. He opened his mouth, but shit it away as she walked away, closing his eyes tightly. What happened to me? Why did this...happen? He asked himself, not wanting to open his eyes. He was alone, alone with his thoughts and shadows. He took a slow breath, jumping as he felt a presence enter the room again. He waited a moment before opening his eyes, suddenly a releaf rushing over him as he saw Aya. Not that it made the pain any less, but perhaps more bearable. As she went to lay down Yuki reached forward slightly, hesitating for a second before gently touching her hand. It was either a sign of desperation of gentleness, it was hard to tell in this state, but he had, at any rate, reacted.

.Tell me..What do they see. When they look at me?.Do they see my many personalities.ღ

Aren't words meant to express inner feelings? Aren't typical conversations polite? Where his words filled with meaningless blabber to the two Sohma boys? Wasn't there anyone willing to answer his questions? Or had Aki committed a fatal mistake? Had his cynical attitude closed him away from obtaining valuable information? 'I have done nothing wrong.' His mind whispered softly 'It is Aya who has made me...act this way.' He told himself in a cold tone. Head snapping upwards the blond-haired male turned acidic blue hues upon Momiji. It hurt him internally to see the young man wilting like a flower, but life wasn't about expressing weaknesses. Dry lips curved downwards in a small grin devoid of warmth "Don't fret." He said to the zodiac rabbit "I don't care to know about the secret any longer." The young man stated flatly, his smile fading into the background. 'Liar.' The young man's rational mind whispered venomously 'Don't kid yourself. You want to know what is happening...and yet that temperament of yours has escalated out of control.' Aki scoffed at the voice of his subconscious and an eerie chuckle escaped from his lips. Him out of control? He wasn't out of control or was he? Had his attitude escalated into being unbearable? Impossible. He couldn't be that obnoxious boy insulting Yuki Sohma for Aya's unpredictable behavior. No. These two boys had it all wrong. 'Denial..' Who was in denial? Certainly not him. He understood what was going with his surroundings. Aki knew his words were offensive, abrasive and harsh, though the possibility of heading into a fight fascinated him. Finally some action to get rid of his tension. Darting his tongue out, the blond-haired male moistened his lips, stormy violet-blue hues closed momentarily. His heart began to thud rapidly against his heart as endorphins released themselves into his bloodstream. Adrenaline hot and fast fueled his increase desire for a battle, but another emotion tried to gain traction in his mind. Guilt. It was the terrible kind of guilt that ate at ones insides. The kind of feeling that drove some criminals to commit suicide, rather then face the music. 'It's not to late to walk away! Stop this madness now! You know this fight will turn out in disaster! Maybe he would lose, or he could unexpectedly get lucky. A fifty percent chance of him winning or losing. What about Aya? How would the girl react to the news of him fighting? Would she yell at him for it? A watery imagine of his sister appeared faintly in his mind, delicate facial features squandered in anger, blue hues narrowed in hate. 'Baka!' Her voice echoed loudly in his head as if trying to discourage him from getting into trouble.

'Trouble...We were already in trouble for coming to this forsaken place. All our troubles began after Aya turned sixteen. No...it all started when she started speaking to that boy.' If he had been blessed with the gift of foresight, could he have stopped Aya from meeting Yuki Sohma? Could he have prevented her awkward behavior? Maybe not. His sister wasn't one to be controlled. She hated being tied down by ropes, yet it seemed Aki would have to tighten his grip on Aya's reins. "What the fuck are you trying to imply? That I am a heartless swine? I came here looking for answers and frankly...your attitude was already obnoxious to begin with." Aki retorted back, his voice laced with it's own brand of sarcasm to match Haru's. 'This boy needs to shut his damn mouth.' The blond-haired youth narrowed blue orbs dangerously, feet spread apart, Aki planted them firmly into the grassy meadow. Hands curled into fists, the youth tried preparing himself for an inevitable battle, but his calculations were misguided. One minute Haru stood in front of him and then nothing. A quick lunge of the white-haired Sohma's foot against Aki's chest sent him sprawling against the hard ground. Body sliding over the slick grass, Aki's clean uniform began to appear a sickly green-brown from the wetness beneath. What happened? Hatsuharu's devastating attack had come out of nowhere, not to mention his lungs seemed to scream from lack of oxygen. "H..He knocked the breath out of me. T..that was a fast tackle..." The youth stammered between pants, as his body fought to obtain more air. 'I need to fight back or he'll beat me to a bloody pulp.'

Throwing both arms out, Aki struggled to rise on wobbling legs. With his body stabilized, the blond-haired male opened parched lips to speak "What rubbish are you speaking about? Aya having more power? Hah! That is impossible! How can a mere girl such as her have power? She's just a regular girl in my eyes." He obviously knew nothing about Aya or the secret she harbored inside. He didn't know an ancient spirit had made his sister's body home nor did he know Aya was half-tennin herself. Aki never suspected his birthday could have been the last day, he would have seen his own flesh and blood alive. All thanks to the strange woman who watched over her descendants with a watchful eyes. "How absurd. You almost had me believing in that statement. Aya and I are just human beings. She doesn't have powers, so get down from that ridiculous pedestal." He sneered angrily, hands throwing themselves automatically in front to shield his face from Haru's lithe attacks. Blow upon blow slammed into Aki, slowly driving him into a precarious position. He could defend his head from some of the hits, but not all of them. Azure hues clamped shut, the young man refused to whimper his pain to the world.Time was running out for Aki Mikage. It was now or never. 'Stop! Your already hurt!' His mind screamed out in panic. The young man shook his head savagely, preferring to ignore the rational voices inside. What use would it be heeding warnings that were to late? Why hadn't he listened to the voice of reason earlier? Could a confrontation have been avoided? Questions rose in Aki's mind, though he shooed them away for now. Doubling his hand into a tight fist, Aki bolted forward like an enraged bull. Swinging his entire left arm backwards, the blond-haired youth unleashed all the accumulated energy in his biceps. Sapphire orbs flared to life, as he aimed to connect his strike against Haru's jaw bone. However, his clumsy swing left him wide open to a counter attack from below. He was now within range to be stuck by another blow from Haru Sohma, this one feeling more powerful in motion. Mouth opening silently in a silent scream, the youth spat out blood from his mouth from where teeth had clamped down in sheer anguish. "Ugh..at this rate..I'm going to end up dying from a beating or through his own hands." Aki muttered beneath his breath, body being flung backwards from another frontal hit. He was sent slamming into the cold grass again, the impact knocking the wind completely out of him. Bleary blue hues opened to glare up at the white-haired Sohma in disdain. He might be down, but not out just yet. Faint rustles in his ear, alerted the young man to a crowd of spectators gathering around them. Obviously, the school had lacked enough excitement and now the students had a reason to stop their activities to see Aki lying on the ground covered in bruises and grass stains. "Do you think I care about what Aya feels? She is my little sister living beneath my care...I am the one who decides when her behavior is unacceptable." He snapped, before scrambling back on his feet. Darkness threatened to over-take Aki as he struggled to remain standing "Don't worry..I'll stay away from all of you. I'll leave Yuki out of this...once Aya get's those ridiculous feelings out of her head." He assumed Aya only felt sympathy for the silver-haired Sohma, but he never imagined his sister's feelings could be deeper then that. Splotches of crimson now splotched the front of Aki's tailored school uniform, as he started moving slowly from pure exhaustion. A defeat was now immediate and unavoidable.

***********

'What is this feeling of pain tugging at my heart? Is something happening out there?" Ceres questioned to herself, hand reaching out to touch Aya's mind 'Do you feel this awkward ache in your heart? I don't understand what it is?" The Tennin stated blankly, voice filled with deep worry for the first time. She recognized the emotion swirling in her heart and knew it had occurred 3000 years ago. The same feeling filling her chest as Mikage fell lifeless at her feet from multiple gashes inflicted upon him. Cuts that bled, even though the rain washed away most of the gore. Ceres remembered standing in the middle of the road, screaming out in anguish for Mikage had just struck 14 year-old Miku into the nearest tree. There was no way her eldest daughter would have survived such a brutal impact from behind. 'This is why...I can't trust men. This is why....Akito Sohma reminds me of him. Obsessive, abusive and cruel...that man has no feelings.' The black-haired woman closed off her connection with Aya, before the girl could even capture wind of Ceres' fleeting emotions. 'What pain? Huh? Ceres! Hello! Answer me! What is going on!?' Aya cried out mentally, hoping to resume connection with the elusive young woman. Senses stretched out, the blond-haired girl tried in vain to recall Ceres from the depths, yet all efforts were in vain. What pain had she been talking about? Did it have to do with Aki? Had her brother been in an accident? Was he sick? The young woman shook her head, shaking away all the crude possibilities. Aki was an intelligent human being. He wouldn't get himself in trouble over stupid issues. Though Aya didn't realize just how different her beloved brother was acting now.

"H..huh?" A faint tremor invaded her slender frame, as a warm hand touched hers. Whose was it? Twirling around with wide eyes, Aya glanced down in time to see Yuki's fingers against her skin. His gesture was gentle, but not understandable. What did he need? Water? Was he in pain? Did he want her to stay by his side? The blond-haired girl studied Yuki's expression intently, trying to understand his body language. "If your in pain...I can search for some asprin in the cabinet. Course...I'm assuming something else..." Aya broke off in mid-sentence, her eyes softening upon seeing his silent tears. Grabbing onto the young man's out-stretched hand, she gave it a small squeeze. "Y..Yuki..don't cry. I can't bare to see you so sad....I'm here with you and I don't plan on moving anytime soon." She promised, leaning down to brush her lips faintly against his cheek in a tender kiss. Grey-blue orbs shimmered with a fierce affection for the Sohma male as well a protective gleam characteristic of Ceres. Aya reached out to grab the nearest chair, and pulled it close to Yuki's bed. Sitting down on the comfortable seat, she held his hand in hers "Get some rest Yuki. Your body is going to need it in order to recover." The young woman replied, glossy lips curving downwards in a warm smile. Yuki had at last reacted, but how long would he remain mute? Aya didn't know, though she would remain patient with him until he was well enough to speak. 'I'll protect you...from Akito. B..because I love you...' Was it truely love or just a feeling of sympathy being mistaken? Aya couldn't figure it out, but she decided to keep such feelings to herself. There were more important things to attend to, then her own emotions.

Haru glared at Aki, "So what if that's what i'm implying?" Haru spat back with a smirk, "You haven't proved me wrong yet. Look at you, you're pathetic." He told him as he felt his hand hit his jaw, spinning and hitting him hard in his rib cage with his elbow. "You really are IGNORANT aren't you?" He asked emphasizing the word to irritate him as he referred to his sister. "Maybe this damn attitude is why you don't know. She could destroy you with a glance, but you play this card and stop caring when she needs you most, DON'T YOU?" He asked, using his foot to pull his legs out from under him. He didn't know why but he saw him changing before his eyes, just as he felt himself changing with each passing second. All he knew was it pissed him off, with ever second he watched something change in the boy in front of him, and he felt himself fall farther and farther into his emotions, all he wanted to to was to punch that voice out of his body and slap that smirk off of his face. "Shes a REGULAR girl? Since when did family become something regular? huh? You're a disgrace to you're family." His hisssed in his head, suddenly behind him before punching him hard in the gut again. He shook his head at his disbelief, he was gone. He didn't believe in magic? FINE! "You're so ignorant, i almost feel sorry for you." He told him with a laugh. "You're human all right....part of you." He added the last part as his foot met the boys shoulder, sending him back onto the ground. What does he know? He can't believe in curses, in being other than human? That's not my problem, not his. So why is it all i want to do his attack him? He felt his resistance weakening with each moment, the feeling of self control keeping him from killing him was wavering It woudl be so easy to kill him here and now...but why did he want to?

Momiji couldn't believe what was happening, Haru... He thought to himself, watching his cousin, pain and anger was etched in his face. It was the same face he had watched as a young kid, the same pain he saw in every member of the family. Was it fair? No, it wasn't. His cousin would always be dangerous if pushed to far. Violence wasn't the way to solve things, look at how Akito worked. However, he no longer seemed to hold that action. That's why everyone knew not to push him, you got more solved by talking to the levelheaded Haru than the one blind to reason who acted on pain. However, Aki didn't know that? Did he care? Momiji turned to look at Aki who had been so desperate a second ago. Pleading... but he had closed his mind, closed his chance. He was a skeptic, and the more he gave into emotions, the more he closed his mind to reason. They were practically identical, and that was never good. Each was the result of a curse. The only difference? Aki didn't have experience in martial arts. Momiji winced as he watched Aki go flying across the lawn. "Haru...you don't have to do this..." Momiji said softly, watching his cousin from the wall. Haru paused to look at him as Aki stood up. "Shut up, he know's nothing...do you hear him?!" He asked his Cousin, Momiji nodded, turning to look at Aki who's face had changed. He was no longer the brother he was...he was...Who is he? Momiji asked himself, looking down at the grass. He was cruel, ignorant to emotions. He was narrow minded and the only thought in his mind was control. He no long cared about his sister, only wanted to control her emotions. "Akito..." His voice was low almost to himself as he realized where he knew that attitude from.

Haru glared at Aki as he declared his last statements, they were uncaring. He no long seemed to have an emotion for his sister, for his family. All he wanted to do was control his sister. What was she to him? Was she a possession, an item? It was wrong, he knew it and no one should be allowed to do that to a person. But why was it he felt such passion for a girl he hardly knew? Suddenly Momiji's whisper met his ears, carried in on the wind. His eyes flashed as the words sank in, any control disappearing from his eyes. He's just like Akito... The thought that had been hiding from his mind appeared suddenly in his mind. Suddenly the rage he felt before seemed like nothing compared to what he felt now. It was more than he could stand. He could see Yuki's broken body, the bloody walls, and Aya's tears. "It's. All. Because. Of. People. Like. You." He screamed, kicking him hard in the ribs. He felt something crack beneath his foot but he didn't care. It was only the beginning... Momiji's eyes widened as he realized Haru had heard his thoughts, as he saw him change. Momiji whimpered, as he saw the anger, the passion and the pain. As he attacked with renewed emotions he watched Aki go flying. He was just like Akito, and unlike Akito Haru could attack him without worrying about a curse or punishment. He's going to kill him... Momiji realized in panic. Part of him wanted to let him, people like him shouldn't be allowed to hurt people. However, a greater part of him told him it wasn't right, not this way.

"Haru!" He cried, leaping forward as his cousin walked towards Aki who was still on the ground. His arms wrapped around his cousins stomach as he held on tight. "Stop this! Please, i know...i know what you feel but this isn't right...not here...not now..." He begged his cousin. Haru looked down at him, freezing in his tracks. For a second emotions flickered in his eyes. Maybe he's right... He began but the thought was stolen from his head as he looked back at Aki. A cold anger gripping his heart. "Get off of me." He grumbled, Momiji shaking his head as he held tight. "I can't..." Momiji started, but his words fell on deaf ears, Haru grabbing Momiji's arms roughly, heard enough to bruise his frail arms. Momiji whimpered as he tried to pull his arms away but wouldn't let go. "I said get off of me!" He yelled, with one quick pull managing to get Momiji's arms off his waist and throwing him off to the side. "Ouch..." Momiji said softly, finding himself laying in between Haru and Aki. Momiji taking in a shuddering breath, standing up slowly in between them. Haru please...even if I get hurt, don't do this... He pleaded to himself desperately as he met Haru's eyes which were hard with anger. Just as Momiji had accepted he was going to have to fight his cousin, even though he had no experience in martial arts, another voice broke through the clatter of the crowd. "You sure have some gut hurting that annoying rabbit like that." The familiar voice made Momiji's heart flutter as he looked around, looking for the source, finally landing on the orange haired male on the top of the schools roof. His voice was serious as he watched them, jumping off the edge onto the ground below. Luckily this was a lower part of the building... Momiji thought to himself as Kyo walked over to the scene, the other students moving out of his way. "Let me hear you're excuse, it better be a damn good one." Kyo warned him as he stepped in front of Momiji. "That rabbit is annoying as hell, but hardly deserved the bruises he's going to have." He told him lowly.

"Stay out of this Kyo, this doesn't involve you and that quick temper of yours. I'm looking for a REAL fight." Haru laughed at his cousin. Kyo growled, "Ya? You think that you can get past me? TRY IT" Kyo dared him with a smirk. "Fine, i'm tired of listening to you yap." Haru glared at him as he dove at Kyo, his fist aiming for his stomach. Kyo grabbed his fist, diverting it from his stomach and raising his knee to meat his stomach instead. Haru grunted as he took his other hand and throwing a punch that landed on Kyo's side successfully. "Damn it, you're going to pay for that." Kyo told him, Haru laughing in his face before spinning away. "Ya? You think so? Let me see what you got! you can't beat me, you pathetic cat." He shouted. Kyo hissed. "That's what you think." Kyo told him, ducking from a punch and pulling his knees out from under him, sending Haru to the ground. It would of been successful is Kyo had moved away fast enough, but the second Haru started going down he used his feet to kick Kyo hard in the chest, sending the orange head to the ground as well. Momiji watched with a grimace, his body hurt but he knew he would be hurting the least. He turned around to look at Aki who was still on the ground. "You don't deserve any of this kindness with that attitude, so make it worth it." The small boy said, his voice a bundle of emotions as he looked at the beaten boy.

Yuki shook his head, it wasn't the pain. Not that he wasn't in pain but, he didn't care...he had been in pain before, he would be ok, the pain was nothing. At least that's what he kept telling himself. Yuki closed his eyes at her soothing words, hopeing and praying everything would be all right he was just... he was so cold, every movement seemed to send a breeze among his wounds which sent shivers down his spine. With ever movement he felt a wound stretch or cram together, and it hurt. He closed his eyes as he felt her lips on his cheek, part of her wanted to slink away from any touch, Akito's voice still echoing in his head loud enough to confuse reality, but for some reason he didn't. he watched her, nodding in a silent thank you. He felt horrible, now he was seeking pity out of others. He was the worst, always worrying people. It made him want to curl up in a ball. They would forget about him, the pain and he wouldn't be a burden to them, they always did. He closed his eyes, again at her urgings. He didn't want to, sleep brought him to dark places, he felt himself sinking in sleep despite himself. He didn't want to sleep, succumb to his dreams, but his body over ruled him as he felt himself drifting once again to sleep.

.Tell me..What do they see. When they look at me?.Do they see my many personalities.ღ

What drove him to change completely from loving brother to a seething monster? What drove Aki Mikage to begin treating his innocent sister as a prize? Was it the need to control her gentle soul? Was he jealous of the attention Aya gave Yuki? Or was he simply afraid of losing her? So, many questions and no logical explanation to put his uneasy mind to rest. 'Why am I falling apart!? This isn't who I am!? This isn't me!?' The blond-haired male yelled out mentally, his battered body trembling from many emotions. What was he feeling internally? A strange combination of guilt and anger seized Aki's heart slowly coveting it into a fine peice of polished marble. 'Are you going to allow your anger to cloud judgment? Is that gentle heart of yours going to turn into nothing, but blackness?' His logical mind whispered from the depths, showing him a cloudy future in which people turned away. He found himself walking down a narrow street, dressed in rags and begging for food. Where was his sister? Apparently, she had abandoned him to his fate. Why, the strange images in his head? Why the strange ache in his heart? Did it have to do with his guilt? Sadness? Loneliness? 'I don't want to be alone. I don't want to become a heartless swine! Yet, I can't control this strange urge to fight back.' Aki pleaded with himself to take back every offensive word. He pleaded to the heavens above to give him a chance at apologizing, but any feeling of remorse soon left his heart. An icy feeling drove it's spike straight into Aki's beating core, polluting what had once been a pure being. Little by little he was displaying the same attitude Mikage had shown to Ceres 3000 years ago. He was becoming the man the Tennin had killed. Mikage the founder. Mikage the obsessed husband. Mikage the assassin. The once loving brother was becoming a black-hearted beast right in front of himself. "Ignorant? Me ignorant?" Aki snapped angrily, his right arm going to press against his battered ribcage "Aya doesn't need me all the time. She has proven to be such a troublesome girl, that I begin to wonder if she'll someday wind of dead." Cold words escaped from his throat, sounding both searing and pained filled. A part of Aki screamed out to the aggressive side in vain 'Do you really want to see Aya dead? Is that your wish!?' He couldn't believe himself. Where had his humanity gone too? Had it taken a back-seat along with all his emotions? Faint tears stung the corners of his eye and the young man wiped them angrily away "Men don't cry." Aki spat to himself "I refuse to cry or shed any type of emotion for her. I refuse to let myself become entangled in nonexistent curses." Despite Haru's words, he couldn't find his humanity. It was almost as if he had become an entirely different human.

Blow upon blow struck his vulnerable form, the hits having the same consistency as hail pounding against a glass window. Blood stained his lower lip now, while horrid purple bruises began to appear on every inch of pounded skin. White hot shards of anguish traveled up and down Aki's spinal cord, reminding him that he was a human. Not a god. He wasn't immortal. He wasn't immune to pain. He wasn't powerful like the Tennyo residing inside Aya, but even a woman such as her suffered in silence. The blond-haired youth wouldn't understand how Ceres felt until he too experienced the feeling of failure. 'You're not invincible! You aren't god! Open those ignorant eyes of yours!' He was blind to reason. Blind to the truth. He didn't want to lose to Haru Sohma, but his body no longer aided him in this one-sided battle. His pride was on the line, though being egotistical served no purpose. Aki Mikage was beaten. Defeated by his own foolish nature. The only other option was to roll over on his back, tail tucked between his legs like a submissive dog. 'Submissive? I have never been submissive nor will I ever fall down to that level.' Aki's dry lips twisted to form a twisted smile devoid of emotion "I don't want to know why he defends Aya. That girl is not related to him and yet he is persistant." Aki wanted to insult Haru Sohma more, yet the next hit sent him slamming harshly against the cold ground. "Oof!" With the wind knocked cleanly out of him, the blond hit the lawn at high speed. Darkness loomed in his vision, though the young man fought against the overwhelming amount of pain. Something in him cracked. What was it? Aki tried in vain to regain his footing, only to find his entire frame trembling from agony. "W..what in the world? Did he crack my rib?" His self questions were interrupted by a familiar throb. Extending a battered hand outwards, he gingerly touched the area where Haru had kicked him. Never had he seen anyone become this enraged. The white-haired Sohma could best be described as an unrestrained bull, ready to come in for the kill. Sensitive ears captured the hurtful syllables coming out of the male's mouth and he immediately began regretting his words. 'Because of what you've done...he is going to kill you!' The voice in his head whispered in panic. Aki swallowed hard, frantically searching for solutions to his dilemma. Unfortunately his only source of salvation had vanished. Aya wasn't here to protect him. 'He can't kill me. Aya would never forgive Haru....' Lips thinned into a bitter smile, as the young man ceased his futile movements. He was beaten to the point where his body no longer had the will to rise and even as Haru strode towards him, the young man couldn't help having flashbacks of happier times. "Please forgive me...Aya." The words slipped from his mouth in a soundless plea. He wanted to live, but the white-haired Sohma would soon send him to the land of Hell.

'Where is all that arrogance? Look at what happened to you!' Dethroned. Tossed to the ground like a rag doll. He laid in a semi-stated of haziness, where the students and the scenery seemed to meld into one. A world of multi-colored hues swirled around, reminding the young man of his critical stated. "Am I dead yet?" He questioned softly, blue eyes struggling to make out Haru's blurred figure against the colorful display. No, he wasn't sprouting daisies yet. Though he would soon find himself face to face with the demons residing inside. 'What more can I do? I've lost my energy...will and strength to fight. I'm resigned to my fate...though I can't help wondering how Aya will go on without me.' She would probably go on in life without him. Forgotten. Just a mere figment of her imagination. Aya would bury him in her memories, just like she had done to the others. Death would be a welcoming addition to his life. After all, living and dying were part of life's natural course. While Aki sunk deeper into his thoughts, a part of him heard a familiar sounding voice calling out Haru's name. Who was it? Was it his sister? The blond-haired male strained his eyes in time to see the smaller Sohma leaping towards the ivory-haired male. Momiji? The young boy who had been willing to tell him their secrets? The same little boy he had laughed at? It couldn't be true? He was willing to place himself in harm's way just to protect him. "Like family? An individual who is willing to cast aside everything for the sake of his loved ones?" Aki whispered, glazed orbs taking in Momiji's desperate struggle against an enraged Haru. How could he go charging gallantly into battle to protect a stranger? This boy really did have a heart of gold. The young man felt a strange sensation rising in the pit of his stomach, it was the kind of feeling he remembered from the past. Happiness. Unity. The sounds of merry laughter ringing in his ear, the delicious scent of roasted turkey in Christmas, Aya's sweet voice singing a festive carol. 'Family. Have I become that terrible? Is this what it means to defend your family against the odds? To stick by them. To love them for better or for worse?'

Crack lipped trembled and the false barrier surrounding the real Aki Mikage shattered like glass for all to see. A crystalline-like line of tears formed at the corners, slowly seeping out until the youth's face was washed in sadness. "Where have I been for the last few minutes?" The young man rasped out, his fingers scratching uselessly on the grass. Lips thinned into a small line for he could see Momiji being thrown aside like a rag-doll and a furious wave washed over Aki. Had he been in better condition, he would have confronted Haru Sohma for that. Yet, there was no way a small boy such as Momiji Sohma could keep up against 'Black' Haru. All he could do was pray to the heavenly kami above to answer his feverish pleas. 'I don't want to perish!' Fortunately for him another voice distracted the zodiac cow from his enraged state. A young man with odd carrot-colored hair appeared on the scene, confronting Haru with new found energy. Finally! It was time to escape and tend to his wounds, while the white-haired male was distracted. With the fierce fight occurring between Kyo and Haru, the blond-haired male staggered to his feet, hot tears now dripping to the ground in a torrent. His facial features displayed a combination of remorse, sadness, humiliation. He turned to look at Momiji with wide eyes, the boy's words sounding more hurtful then anything Haru had thrown at him. "I..I'm deeply sorry.." Aki mustered softly, his battered body rising into a stand position. Tucking a hand against his shattered ribs, the youth raced home to nurse his own wounds in complete solitude.

***********'More feelings of pain? Where are they coming from?' The Celestial Tennyo thinned glossy red lips into a grimace 'The ache welling in my heart...is similar to what I felt centuries ago. The pain of having to kill the one man I loved so dearly. My children...my poor children. My generation stuck in a vicious cycle of self-destruction.' Honey-colored hues fell half shut, as mental images of her three children rose from the depths. Two pairs of siblings playing happily in the meadow, while their protective mother stood on the sidelines holding a small baby in her arms. Giggles echoed out of Miku's throat, as she brought back a freshly picked bouquet of violets, neatly tied in the middle with a blood-red ribbon. 'Blood-red? How can I forget that red would soon taint this very family?' Ceres tried shaking her head from the pain-filled memories, but vivid images kept reflecting themselves. Sorrow. Hatred. Hearts ripped apart not by forces of nature, but by humans themselves.'Can you hear me Ceres? If you do please answer? What is happening to Aki!? What has happened to my dear brother!?' Aya's mental pleas broke the Tennin's heart into a million pieces. A bitter smile appeared on Ceres' expression as she finally made herself known to Aya. 'Aki is fine.' The raven-haired woman answered, voice sounding smooth despite how frantic Ceres herself felt on the inside. She did a fine job of covering her emotions beneath a carefully constructed barrier, with plaster filling every new crack that appeared on the surface. How long till the wall broke? How long would she hold up this pretense? 'What should I really tell Aya? That her brother's energy carries nothing, but darkness and pain? I don't need to be present to know what has occurred...my male descendant is following in Mikage's footsteps. His humanity is waning even now as we speak.' Closing ears against Aya's mental cries, the Heavenly Maiden faded from sight and from mind. 'I will only say this once...the pain has not ended yet. It is only beginning for the Mikage's. Beware Aya...those people are still trying to kill you.' A small laugh escaped Ceres' mouth 'Don't you think it's ironic...that I gave birth to this family...yet they are going around killing female's who show signs of Tennin genes? Which is why....I will no longer hold this last name in high esteem.' The woman's cold voice faded into oblivion, leaving Aya to feel a heavy burden in her heart. "Is this how you express yourself?" She whispered beneath her breath, glinting sapphire hues turning back to Yuki Sohma. "Ceres...I don't know exactly what happened to you, but I will find out sooner or later." The blond-haired woman promised herself, now resuming her attention on the sleeping Sohma male. "Rest Yuki-Kun...I'll keep watch." Aya replied, flashing a tired smile in his direction.

Rest. Rest sounded tempting to Aya Mikage, but she forced herself to stay up all night for Yuki's sake. 'I would like to sleep badly...though Yuki remains in critical condition. What if he wakes up screaming or needing something? What if I'm not alert and Akito comes in to check on him?' The blond-haired woman tensed at the possibility. Akito Sohma better not come in here, otherwise Ceres would emerge with no problem. Sighing softly to herself, the young woman took a seat on the opposite side of the room, knees brought up to her chest as sapphire hues focused on the ceiling. Flecks of gold began to appear in Aya's irises, a sign that the restless Tennin inside would emerge at daybreak to relieve her descendant. "Yuki...before you fall deeper into sleep...I must warn you. Don't be frightened if you don't see me in the morning...Ceres will have taken over by then." Aya stated, trying her best to reassure the young man not to be scared of the Celestial Maiden's sudden appearance. 'I don't know how badly..Ceres has frightened Yuki...or if he harbors fear of me...and her. I can't assume till he wakes up in the morning.' Pushing away the concerns, the blond-haired girl turned her gaze towards the window, watching the sky intently as time ticked slowly by. By the first light of morning, Aya's golden hair had darkened gradually to a shade of pitch black, the gold-colored specks grew until all traces of Aya Mikage were erased from existence. Ceres, the heavenly tenshi now stood guard over the room, her intense facial expression scrutinizing the world outside. "Morning." She greeted simply, showing only a brief amount of emotion in her voice as she waited for the zodiac rat to emerge from his uneasy slumber.

"The most ignorant here." Haru hissed at him, his eyes unfeeling for the boy who had become the very image of the person who had caused all of this. The one who had put Yuki in the hospital bed trapped in fear. The one who had pushed Aya to grow as distant as she was. She would of anyway, he was sure, but Akito had certianly pushed it to the limit. "You really wish your own flesh and blood, your own sister, your own TWIN dead? You dont care?! At ALL?!" Haru asked in disbelief which only fueled his anger. How could he declare he didnt feel for her. "Real MEN feel, REAL men protect what they are lucky enough have." He told him. "You arent entitled to anything, you dont DESERVE anything, you dont deserve to be called Aya's kin." Maybe Haru was over reacting, maybe he was taking it to far. But family was what had driven him insane, true. But for the most part family was what kept him sane. Yuki, Momiji, Rin...all of them gad been there for him, how could he treat family? How coulf anyone treat family like that? How could Akito? The thought echoed in his head. The question haunted him and fueled his fire. Even after Momiji and Kyo stepped in je coukdnt understand. How could they protect HIM? They know whats going on... They can see him, the world is better without people like him...

Kyo narrowed his eyes at the white haired male in between blows. He had delt with his fair share of 'black' Haru's but there was somethimg different about him this time. "Damn..." He muttered under his breath. "Momiji what happened? Hes more irritating than usual..." He said, not daring to look away from him. Momiji glanced at Aki out of the corner of his eye. "Long story..." Momiji told him as he looked awau from Aki. Momiji could see something changing in the boys face, it was slow and resistant, but there. His face grew sadder, remorseful. The boy who he had first seen. But why did he have to change to begin with? How could this boy, now broken and beaten... But above all kind, if changed so much? Momiji wayched him run away. Only after he was out of sight did he touch his wounds gingerly, wincing at the pain. The were minor, especially compared to any one else involved, but his body was smaller. Not to mention he bruised easily... They hurt but he would live, he tured back to Haru whos eyes were still dark in anger... Anger at everything. At everyone. Angry at Aki... But much more. He turned to Kyo... Who had taken Akis spot, finished his battle. He had saved his life. Why? Not for Aki, and Momiji knew it... It was for him.

Kyo growled, crouching on the ground he'd worry about it later. Both of their breathings were labored, each was tired yet each showed no sign of stopping. The crowd was still watching, Momiji could see the teachers in the crowd but none dared go near. They had given up shouting five minutes ago, hoping all would be well. They had come to expect of from the Sohma family. Damn I gotta stop this soon, i'm getting tired... Kyo thought to himself. Not that he would admit it any more than Haru would, he looked just as tired...but just as stubborn. "Give it up Haru, its over." Kyo shouted, more for himself. Haru wasn't going to win, hes going to calm down and explain Why the hell he had a bruise in the middle of his stomach. "HA!" Haru laughed, "Getting tired already? The fun's only begun!" Haru yelled, jumping at him with his last words, Kyo jumped to the side, rolling away but not before getting Harus head in his side. Damn im slowing down.... But so is he He realized watching his cousin. Slowly he side stepped around his cousin, forcing him to move too. Kyp stopped as Haru stood between him and a tree. Kyo took a slow breath.

"Sorry Haru..." Kyo muttered, he didnt have a problem fighting his cousin... But not like this, he hated it. Taking a deep breath he lunged at his cousin pushing him roughly into the tree trunk. He put all his force into slamming him into the bark, Haru's head hitting the tree hard enough to knock him out, his unconcious body sliding to the ground. Kyo wiped the sweat off of his forehead. "Sorry..." He repeated, turning to look at Momiii as he came up beside him. "Poor Haru..." Momiji said softly as he knelt down beside his cousin. Students began to move closer, asking questions the resieved no answer. "We can't leave him here..." Momiji said softly to Kyo. Kyo grunted obviously not in the talki g mood as he bent down picking Haru up and managing to toss him over both sholders, his knees giving out for a second. Momiji winced trying to imagine how hard it was for him. Momiji turned to the group as they walked away smiling to the students, his first smile in a while. "Dont worry, everything will be fine! He promised before running to catch up with Kyo who hadnt waited, still managimg to carry Haru through gritted teeth

************************************

Yuki slept peacefully, or as peacefully as could be expected under the circumstances. It was a long night, at some point in his sleep he heard Aya's voice enter into his mind, Ceres... the name was unfamiliar, but an image of the womam attacking Akito came into mind, in anger and power. Her cold voice echoed in his mind, was that her? Did he want to see her? It didnt seem he had a choice, what would happen? He wasnt sure... Yuki sighed to himself. ok.... he respondedemtally not aware she couldnt hear him. If that helped her it'd be ok. Dreams haunted him, lasted forever and yet no time at all as he awoke protecting his eyes from the sunlight as he noticed a familiar yet unfamiliar figure beside him. He jumped despite of the warning. Sure enough the woman was beside him, Ceres. The name fit the face. He didnt say anything... Just nod in responce.

.Tell me..What do they see. When they look at me?.Do they see my many personalities.ღ

He was handsome, and she couldn't deny it. Yet, beneath that outer layer Ceres sensed a large amount of pain and discomfort emanating from Yuki Sohma. 'He's handsome..but also delicate. Fragile as glass...hurt by what Akito Sohma has inflicted upon him. There are many wounds this young man still retains..most probably from his childhood.' Ceres observed, golden orbs focused on resting silver-haired male. What would it take to fix him? How long would he have to suffer? How could such a kind-hearted boy have a cruel relative? It was sickening to see Yuki Sohma lying in bed with multiple wounds criss-crossing his back. It was frightening to know Akito treated his family like dirt. Like animals. Sure, the Sohma's were different. They were plagued by animal spirits, but did that give the leader any right to purge Yuki and his family members from happiness? Anger rose from the depths, reminding the Tennin of a time when she to had a family to look after. A loving husband, turned obsessive. Three perfectly happy children running around the field, innocently ignorant to their mother's silent suffering. "How can anyone be so cruel?" Ceres snapped with fierce passion in her voice "Having family should be the most sacred thing in the world..." She was probably the last person with a right to complain about family, when her own was also falling apart. 'Don't I have emotions too? Don't I have a right to stop what the Mikage's are doing? I am their founding mother..and yet these people continue killing their own children? How can anyone stand by watching their own flesh and blood die?' How many times did she have to be reborn? How many times did she have to witness her own descendant die in a cloud of blood? Why did these people continue preserving their Tennyo heritage, when all they did was slaughter their own kin in a 'ritual'? Ceres didn't understand, what motives her children had. It wasn't fair to kill an innocent girl only because she displayed Tenshi characteristics. 'I no longer...care to know what my family does...the only one who I should worry about is Aya Mikage.' Yes, Aki's fraternal twin. The girl who had narrowly escaped death from the barrel of a gun. The very girl who now slept peacefully inside Ceres. The very same Aya Mikage who risked it all to be with Yuki Sohma and now the feelings Aya had for Yuki were burning a hole into the girl's very soul. Would she suffer unrequited love? Would her descendant have the same sad fate, such as herself? The raven-haired woman shrugged off the questions with a casual shake of her shoulders as if nothing happened. Twirling around at the sound of shifting coming from the bed, the Celestial Maiden saw Yuki flinch at her sudden appearance by his side. 'I see. Even though Aya warned him not to be scared...he is still bothered by my appearance.' Not good. Not good at all. Yuki being afraid of her was not a welcoming sign. Sadness stabbed at Ceres' heart, letting her know that although Aya was asleep....her feelings were very much alive.

"Am I that frightening in appearance?" Ceres asked, reaching out to lower the blinds with an out-stretched hand "I suppose you do have a right to be frightened of me. However, I'm not looking to harm you or your cousins..." The black-haired woman reassured Yuki with a brief glance over her shoulder, before smoothing out the dapples of sun light still streaming through the crystal. "There...light shouldn't be a nuisance for your eyes anymore." She stated, taking several steps backwards to survey her work. Nodding her head, the Tennin was satisfied with her effort in blocking out most of the sun from Yuki's eyes, but leaving enough to keep the medical room from turning into a gloomy prison. Dusting both hands on Aya's wrinkled skirt, the Celestial Maiden approached Yuki's bed with a softening expression that hadn't been there before "We did not meet under the best circumstances..." She admitted to him, mind flashing back to the incident. Glinting hues fell half shut in deep thought, her head filled with mental images of blood splattered walls, Yuki lying on the ground with multiple wounds, Aya's tormented cries and her own anger at the Sohma Leader. Ceres had been willing to destroy Akito Sohma for all eternity, never pausing to think about the family's pain at losing one of their own. Though the crazed man hadn't shown any signs of caring for Yuki's welfare either, so why should Ceres care about him? Was it for Aya's sake? She didn't know nor did she want to take the time to place two and two together. "It's time for an introduction Yuki. My name is Ceres and I'm the Tennyo spirit that resides within Aya's body." The young woman explained, allowing herself to sit at the edge of his bed. Fingers entwined against each other, she fell into complete silence for a few minutes in deep thought. Ceres stayed immobile for a good five minutes, facial features changing into a worried expression for the feelings of anguish seemed to grow. "Aki..." She muttered his name beneath her breath and at the last moment jumped to her feet without warning. "I'm sorry Yuki...I have to leave you alone for now." Ceres whispered, her slim frame walking swiftly towards the front door. Reaching out with trembling fingers she pulled the door open, but not before turning around to gaze at the zodiac rat "By the way...you should know that Aya cares deeply for you." The Celestial Maiden told him the last peice of information, as she closed the door to his room. "Sometimes one doesn't realize their own value until it's to late." Ceres murmured softly to herself, cold fingers releasing the knob hesitantly. "Anyway...I have to leave this place at once." Throwing her exhausted body into maximum over drive, the young woman raced from the corridor towards the front door in desperation. Not because she hated Hatori or Yuki, but only to avoid a close encounter with Akito. 'A chance meeting with that man..would only end in his death. I don't have anything or anyone restraining me.'

*********

She didn't want to cause anymore harm to the Sohma Family. She didn't want to have blood staining her hands all over again. And Ceres certainly did not want to bring unimaginable pain to her innocent grand-daughter. "This wouldn't be fair to you or to them. Despite Akito Sohma being heartless...I can't just take his life. I'm not a killer or am I?" The heavenly maiden questioned herself, slender body stepping into a familiar-looking room within the main house. Her facial features turned white upon recognizing the destruction brought by her own hands. Shards of broken pottery laid scattered all over the wooden floor, faded blotches of red stained one side of the wall and the lower portion of the floor. Golden orbs widened as vivided memories encased Ceres ' The raven-haired woman appeared from within Aya Mikage, encased in a wild purple-red aura. Her facial features were contorted in extreme rage, as she threatened the Sohma leader with cruel words. In her left hand, divine energy was already forming until Yuki Sohma's pleas snapped the enraged angel from sending Akito to hell.' She gritted her teeth exceptionally hard, already tasting sweet metallic in her mouth. 'What have I done?' Snapping herself out of nightmarish daydreams, the young woman stumbled heavily towards the last barrier. Stiff hands thrusted out in front to slide the parchment paper to the side, and the maiden walked out into the early morning sunshine. Freedom. Freedom from being trapped inside Aya's body. Freedom from duties. Freedom to explore the modern city to her heart's content. Yet, this small amount of bliss became a thing of the past. Ceres needed to search for Haru Sohma, despite the strong yearning to run around the city. Aki? What about her male descendant? Those waves of pain hadn't been made believe, had they? Something happened to Aki Mikage. Something extremely serious. Had he gotten hurt? Had he suffered an accident? Did he die? "That isn't right. If Aki had died..I would have felt it through Aya's body." Glossy lips thinned into a thoughtful line, as the delicate Tennin made her way down the main street, using a highly developed six sense to follow the Sohma's energy trail. She paused momentarily in front of the school where Aya and Aki came on weekdays. Narrowed honey-colored orbs trailed towards the school yard where a few groups of students mingled in. Their useless chatter annoying the maiden until a few words over a fight came to Ceres' ears. Fight? Here? Was it possible the Sohma cousins fought with Aki? If so, how badly hurt were they? Surely a small battle shouldn't have caused much damage. Shaking her head, the raven-haired woman pushed away thoughts of finding Aki. If the boy was the one to provoke the fight, then he should tend to the wounds himself.

As cold as it sounded, the blond-haired male needed to take responsibility for his own faults. He was a sixteen-year old boy with enough maturity to know what was right and what was wrong. Aki didn't need anyone to tell him otherwise. "I wonder what happened anyway. I'll just have to wait and see." Exhaling a small sigh, the young woman resumed her course towards Shigure's house, guided only by pure instinct. All the while, Ceres enjoyed her stroll down the sidewalk without worrying about Aya's interference. Twenty minutes later and the raven-haired woman found herself looking at the Japanese-Styled house with concerned eyes. What if she had taken the wrong route? 'Imagine..me going back to Akito's house..after trying so hard to escape from it.' A sarcastic giggle escaped from the Tennin, only to be silenced by the same energy source. "Good to know..my instinct has no failed me after 3000 years of inactivity." She muttered, taking in a deep breath and waltzing in unannounced into Shigure's house. "Hmm..." Ceres pressed her lips together wearily, the atmosphere in the house did not feel oppressive. No gloomy feeling. No dark energy present to torment her. This place felt airy to the Celestial Maiden as she made her way through the doorway, golden hues looking back and forth for any sign of Haru Sohma or anyone familar. "Hello?! Haru?" The Tennyo called out, stopping herself from walking further into the house without guidance.

Occ: Ack sorry if this post makes no sense lol. Can't have Ceres interact yet with Haru, so I'm thinking maybe she should meet Momiji & Kyo first then go from there.

Yuki wanted to look away from the woman beside his bed now. The woman whom he had met once before, in a time he wished to forget. The moments were still vivid in his mind. The cold and despair was all there as the scenes played again in his mind. The moment she had appeared in a white light of destruction, ready to kill Akito, an instant longer and he would of been dead. Yuki didn't doubt that. He could feel the pain in his legs as he stood up, standing between the two. Why? Why? the question echoed in his mind, he wasn't even sure. Was it because of the spirit inside him? Was it because Akito was the god of the rat? Maybe. Maybe that was why after all, why else would he protect him. That's probably what anyone else would of thoughts. But Yuki wasn't so sure. Why then has he? Why had he protected the same person who had put him in this bed, the same person who's very name in his thoughts froze his body and mind. Darkness, that's all he saw, was darkness. He was so tired of it, he didn't want more of it. He didn't want more suffering. He didn't want to see Akito's face or feel his touch ever agian in his life, but did he want him to die? Do i want him to die? Yuki wasn't sure. It was the true curse, turning sacred family against each other. Would Akito and him of ever been friends? Yuki didn't know, and would never know. ever if everything ended right now and everything went away he didn't know. It would never be as it could of been. It bound the family together maybe, they were all bound together. But it also pushed them apart, apart in desperation, in powerlessness. He was powerless, and what of Haru and Momiji? They were powerless too. they knew it, it was that curse of caring that made the curse the curse.

He wanted to look away from her, but he couldn't. There was something about her, something captivating in her eyes which seemed to hold the same sadness he saw in his family's eyes, the same sadness that shook his entire body. As she reached for the blinds Yuki cringed,a wince leaving his mouth as he tried to turn away, however the pain preventing it. He squeezed his eyes, though it was painful there was something about the darkness, it was familiar. Part of him just wanted to lay there in it and never leave, the stillness seemed to tall to him. Yet it was that very feeling that flicked another half that yearned for it. He opened his eyes slowly to see she had finished, the light gentle to his eyes. He nodded, both in thanks and to her statement. You stood up for me though, i don't understand why... He thought to himself as he watched her. Why had she saved him, it wasn't like there was anything particularly special about him, he was just the rat and hardly worth the trouble. He thought of the magic surrounding her, for him. I don't understand... He thought to himself. Ceres, huh? He thought to himself, he supposed he shouldn't be surprised. They were just surrounded by curses weren't they? Everywhere you looked, there they were. Why? he didn't know, He wasn't sure he even wanted to know. Why? Why?? He didn't understand he just wanted to get away from it all. He found himself curling into a ball, hardly noticing the pain as his thoughts seemed to overwhelm him again. He felt her leave the room, and he hardly noticed, only her last words registering in his head. 'Aya cares deeply for you.' He was so powerless, he was always in the middle of it, always a burden...was he even supposed to be here? If Ceres hadn't shown up...if it had been as it should, just him and his god, would he be alive? Yuki didn't have a certain answer, he wasn't sure he should still be alive, but he was. 'Aya...' The name whispered in his head as he phrase came back to him.

It was all too much, why did he feel this way, why did his heart pain him so? His chest was tightening, and it was hard to breath. Was the meaning of a heart only to be broken? To be hurt? His breath was hard to catch as he grasped for breath. He felt alone, was he alone though? At that moment he felt another gentle hand on his shoulder. "Yuki. Yuki." A familiar voice cut through his thoughts. "Yuki, Take this." His voice was firm, demanding, but caring. He opened his eyes slowly to look at Hatori kneeling beside his bed, on hand on his shoulder the other holding a bottle of pills. Yuki gasped another breath as Hatori forced him out of his position, gently wrapping a hand around his wait to pull him up enough for him to swallow the pills. Yuki gasped as he forced the pills down, his breath returning almost instantly. He sighed as Hatori guided him back to the bed. "Are you ok?" Hatori asked him, Yuki nodding softly,watching Hatori who seemed to notice the blinds were partially open, and that someone had been here. He was smart enough to guess as he glanced back at Yuki. "I'm glad to see you awake at any rate." He told him, to be honest he hadn't been sure he was going to wake up. the mind was a strange thing that could supress itself and make sure a person didn't awaken, just as it could make someone forget something. However, Yuki only looked at him response as Hatori understood. "I see...you're not talking." He said in understanding, he was thankful he had awakened. "Let's get your bandages changed.' He told him as he pulled the covers back, noticing a new set of bruises on his side. How he deciphered new ones from the old ones was a mystery to all but him, but he decided not to say anything as he gently changed his bandages.

Momiji looked around the dining room again. Shigure was sitting around the table with him as he explained the events in full detail from the previous day. In all the chaos from the day before there hadn't been time for it. Tohru was as work, though she had wanted to skip work to care after Kyo and Haru. She didn't seem to understand that this really was nothing to do. True it wasn't usually this bad to the point Haru was knocked out, but it wasn't the first time either. "What about you Momiji?" Shigure asked the small bunny when he finished. "Me?" Momiji questioned as he stretched his arms over his head, his normal attitude seemed to of returned as he stretched his arms towards the feeling. Still, both knew that was just him. It's not as it he was kidding himself everything was ok, not like he thought it would all go away. It was just the best he could do for those around him, and the easiest way for him to deal with it. "You got in the middle of a fight against black Haru." Shigure chuckled a bit to himself at the thought despite the situation. "Probably not the best decision, you got injured too didn't you?" Shigure asked Momiji who looked away guilty. "I suppose a bit..." He said, pulling up the sleeve of his long-sleeved shirt he'd worn to cover the finger bruises on both arms, then the side of his shirt where he'd fallen to the ground, small bruises and skid marks all along his side. "Just a little bit, it's nothing compared to Kyo and Haru though! They beat each other up good..." He said, putting his shirt back down as if it didn't hurt at all , which it did, but worrying about it wasn't going to help.

Shigure sighed, leaning back. "I tried to get Hatori over here with Kyo came home last night with Haru but he didn't want to chance leaving the main house..." Shigure said in thought. "He'll try to be over here when he can but i'm not sure when that'll be so...until then it's up to us!" Shigure said in his usual voice that was less than convincing. Momiji giggled, "I don't know...maybe we better leave that to Tohru." He laughed, shaking his head. the two made a strange pair for the situation, but they were Sohma's and that's how it went. There would be a time soon where the smiles and laughter would disappear when it would turn serious, until then you make the most of what you're give. As if on que Momiji sighed, leaning forward and resting his chin on his hands folded and supported on the table. "Shigure, will everyone be ok?" He asked, speaking the words on both of their minds. Shigure sighed, likewise his airy attitude disappearing. "One way or another things will work out, we're Sohma's after all." Shigure told him watching his younger cousins expression. "I know...that's what i'm scared of, WHAT way it will work out..." He said softly, both of their eyes suddenly darting to the doorway as they each heard a new voice. "Actually, my name's Shigure. Can i help you?" Shigure asked, in the blink of an eye he was in the doorway, leaning casually against the edge of the door, his keen eyes watching her all the same. Momiji stood up curiously, coming up behind Shigure and looking at the guest curiously. For some reason he felt like he knew her, she was familiar somehow, but he wasn't sure how.... "Who are you?" Momiji asked, Shigure jumping slightly at his voice behind him. Momiji's eyes however were all serious as he watched her not in distrust or trust, but just curiosity.

.Tell me..What do they see. When they look at me? .Do they see my many personalities.ღ

'Tired. I'm tired of dealing with all this stress. I'm tired of dealing with this awful curse. I want life to return back to normal!' Normal. What was normal? Did it involve blending with everyone else? Did it involve wearing the latest fashions, owning the most famous CD's or the mere notion of pretending to be fake? Just to be accepted into society. How could an ancient spirit suddenly turn her world upside down? Why? Why had Ceres chosen her as a medium? What did she have that the other descendants lacked? How had it all come to this? So many curses. So many tears shed. So much blood scattered for nothing. "Why did Yuki ever do deserve this punishment? Why does he have to suffer from Akito's obsessive nature!? Isn't there a way to break the dang Sohma curse?!" Aya screamed into the darkness, knowing her voice wouldn't leak outside Ceres' protective barrier. "All I did was befriend him. Was that wrong? He deserves happiness like everyone else...not just Yuki...but the rest of the Sohma's. They might be afflicted with a curse...like me...but we have feelings. We bleed. We cry. If not visiably..." The blond-haired female closed gray-blue eyes, letting her mind fly back to the beginning. Back in time. Back to a small rose garden where Aki would always wait for her. She could clearly see the mischievous smile on the boy's plump face, the glittering indigo hues focused on the doorway, where Aya appeared after dinner. She heard the little boy calling out to his sister, begging her to play amid the flowers, much to the displeasure of the local gardeners. Glossy lips twisted into a pained smile for the scene resurfaced memories, Aya had struggled to bury. Why were the dreams becoming endless? Why was she thinking back to her normal life? A life filled with a monotone routine.

A life followed by the same daily activity. Waking up, eating breakfast, attending school, coming home, homework : it was all the same. At least her family had been together then. Right? Her family had once loved her, but when did that change? Did it happen once Aya Mikage hit her teenage years? "How could I forget that day? The day when I was 'supposed' to die. The day I learned Ceres existed inside of me. What did I do to deserve all of this?" Had she sinned in the past? Or had someone else committed a fatal mistake? What about Ceres? How could the Tennyo fail to realize, she was destroying her own grand-daughter? Could it be selfishness? No. The raven-haired woman protected her from the Mikage's, she had proceeded to even intervene against Akito to protect Yuki. The Tennin had been willing to erase Akito from existence in order to relieve the family of that man's oppressive presense. "I really am I fool. Akito is interconnected with the members of the Sohma Family...much like I'm connected to Ceres. Except...I'm lucky enough to move around freely without fear of repressions. I see..the only way to end this vicious cycle would be to break the curse. But finding the source will be a challenge." Aya muttered to herself, pulling hands and knees together.

Settling her body into a resting position, the young woman gazed out at the darkness with gleaming azure hues. It was very dark inside Ceres' subconscious. Yet, at the same time comforting to her ailing soul. No wonder Yuki had locked himself inside. The gloom could be comforting, but at the same time frightening. 'Alone...' Sapphire hues fell shut slowly 'Where is my Mana?' At the last sentence, the young woman opened her eyes to look around the empty room, expecting Ceres to suddenly appear. Dragging in a small breath, Aya parted soft lips to speak "Mana? Those weren't my thoughts at all. I must have tapped into Ceres' mind....maybe I should disengage before...she gets mad at me." Morbid curiosity bubbled in Aya's stomach, as the young woman peered into the medical room through another woman's eyes. She captured the frozen expression etched across Yuki's face. His wary nature of the Tennin who had threatened Akito with instant. The words that escaped the Tennyo's mouth drove a wedge into her heart, for the Sohma male now knew the spirit resided within her very body. If he feared Ceres' mere appearance, would he be afraid of her? The blond-haired woman swallowed a lump in her throat, fighting viciously against the threatening tide of tears threatening to fall. Now was not the time to have an emotional breakdown. She couldn't jump to conclusions without confronting Yuki herself.

*********************************

'Why am I here? What brought me to this place?' The Celestial Maiden mused in confusion. What brought her to the Sohma House in the first place? What business did Ceres have with the inhabitants? Was it guilt eating her inside? "I'm not doing it for myself. I'm doing it for Aya's sake. Anymore direct hits...and my descendant will continue to hide inside of me. She'll wind up unable to inhabit her own body if this keeps up." She blew out a frustrated breath. While waiting for a response from inside, the raven-haired female leaned against the wall with an exhausted expression etched across her face. "At this rate I'll end up dying without the Mana. Where is it? I can't sense it anywhere in this area?" Where had Mikage hidden her Celestial Robes? Why had that spiteful man condemned her to die? Lips thinned into a bitter smile "At first I considered him as a seed carrier, but even I thought we could have a future together. How could I've been so foolish in the first place? Giving Mikage a portion of my powers proved to be our downfall." Breaking off in mid-sentence, Ceres straightened to her full height in time to see a strange male leaning against the doorway. "Shigure?" She questioned, beginning to take tentative steps towards the dog of the zodiac. Pausing several inches away from the older male, the Tennin gazed at him with an expression brought upon by centuries of suffering. Her honey-colored hues revealed no shard of emotion, only a coldness that seemed as vast as the sea itself. "I'm looking for Haru Sohma. Is he here?" Ceres questioned, keeping her tone composed. Dropping both hands limply to the sides, the black-haired female considered leaning against the wall for support.

Yet, that would reveal weakness brought upon by stress. Struggling against the dizziness that threatened to assult her, the young woman immediately whirled around to face the source of the other voice. Tearing amber hues away from the elder male, Ceres focused on the blond-haired boy appearing behind Shigure. He was young. Maybe a little to young to be questioning an adult, but Ceres sensed a difference in him. Compared to all the other children she had encountered in the past, this one was different. Momiji's level of maturity matched many of the adults and perhaps his was beyond developed. Or maybe it wasn't just his mature nature? It must be the very notion of him being a member of the Sohma Family. Pain had proven to be a great teacher in hardening individuals. "My name is Tennyo Ceres. I am the woman residing within Aya Mikage. In fact...she is completely asleep within me." Ceres answered at last, walking past Shigure. Step by step, the raven-haired female neared Momiji till she stood mere inches from him. Kneeling down to face Momiji at eye level, the female couldn't help reaching out to touch his face and hair with warm hands. Ceres' hardened hues soften to the point where tears made themselves known "You're very adorable." The Tennyo complimented, as a warm smile appeared "You must be a Sohma...but that doesn't matter to me. Somehow looking at you reminds me of someone." The words escaped slowly from her mouth "That's right....that same expression reminds me of my children." Ceres whispered to Momiji, while fighting the urge to throw her arms around the boy. Though in the end, Momiji's child-like appearance won the distraught Tennyo over. With a soft cry, Ceres embraced the boy with the same love a mother would give their long lost child. Why she acted like this was unknown. But one thing was for certain, the legendary Angel wanted nothing more then to reunite with her family back in heaven.

Hatori glanced up at Yuki occasionally as he worked his way around his frail body. The wounds had turned crimson with dried blood. "I'm going to have to do some disinfecting on a couple of your wounds too." He told hold, his eyes raising to Yuki's face. His face was impossible to read, but not because of a lack of emotion but an over whelming amount of emotions. "It won't hurt too much," He assured him, though he knew that those words didn't hold much comfort to people, coming from a doctor at any rate. Yuki's response was only one of silence as his eyes watched Hatori. What was he thinking? At this point they could guess but no one really knew, and he wasn't telling them. Hatori sighed, his eyes sad as he watched the rat, kneeling down beside him. A still silence spread between the two as they held each others eyes. "I'm sorry Yuki," He said at last, speaking when needed to be said. At Yuki's continued blank stare he continued. "I should of seen this coming and should of been able to do something, even if i'd been here like i usually am i could of done something. It shouldn't of come to this." He told him, how many times had he said those words 'i'm sorry?' He wasn't even sure, he had been called upon several times to bring pain to his family by erasing memories. This wasn't really his doing, in fact it was similar to the stories they all held. He wasn't new to the curse, he'd been long since hardened for it, so why was he apologizing for this now? Because it shouldn't of happened, they all knew it. Maybe Yuki should of known better, but the consequences were beyond that which was even an thought as a punishment. And sitting here with him who had been forced into a corner, who was alone and scared, there was really no choice in the heart.

"This is our reality, but it doesn't mean it was unpreventable, i'm sorry." He told him softly, bowing his head with a sigh. He had learned his lesson when it came to caring for others, it only led to pain, it was a mistake. But his family was different, they were his responsibility. He accepted the curse, and they should too, it didn't mean he thought it was right, he wasn't inhuman despite what the curse might lead someone to believe. He could of gone on, gone on talking about what he'd seen, try to give him senses of hope through wisdom of his past, but why should he? He was in no position to talk, and they understood each other. Instead in silence he finished re-wrapping his wounds. He was careful not to hurt him. While his hands may of been a bit rough they were gentle as he finally laid his leg back onto the bed after he'd finished. Throughout the entire thing Yuki had hardly made a sound, even when he'd poured and dis-disinfectant on the wound, despite the sting it felt. Each time Hatori had watched his face, and though not a sound came out each time he saw a small lump raise in the boys throat and pain flash in his eyes. "Hopefully I won't have to do it again..." He said as he was putting his supplies away. "Disinfect it, that is..." He told him, as he finished he walked over to the windows, the blinds partially open now. "It seems Aya was here wasn't she?" He asked, though not expecting an answer. He didn't know how he felt about it, it was obvious she was concerned, obviously she was in love, but was it enough? When dealing with curses, just love wasn't always enough, all you had to do was look around to see that.

"I'm suprised she did, especially with Akito so close..." He added the last part to himself, still staring out the window, his eyes lost in thought. Suddenly they seemed to return as he turned to glance over his shoulder, once again surveying the room, noticing the placement of the stool on the other side of the room where she must of been sitting. "You have a lot of people waiting for you." Hatori said, finally speaking again as he met Yuki's eyes. "Shigure's been complaining because he can't get any of his work done with Tohru's constant questions and fretting..." He started, needless to say Shigure wouldn't complain just about not finishing a manuscript, he was worried as much at Tohru who didn't know the full details. "Haru and Momiji have been having a thought time and school the last couple days and...i heard even Kyo's been more on edge than usual." He continued, his voice sincere. He'd decided to leave off the part about Haru, Kyo, and Momiji all getting involved in a fight over him and Aya. Even hatori didn't know the full details yet, only gotten it second hand though a loud conversation with Shigure. "And Aya...well... I'll let you be the judge of that." He finished, not finding the need to continue. Slowly he saw Yuki nod, it was slow and hesitant, after all he was struggling. Still, the fact that he was responding and at least taking it in was something. Walking back over to his bag he took something out before walking back over towards the bed, setting something on the dresser. Yuki looked at the shining silver bell, it was small, but it seemed to glow by the light from the window. "I'll be back later tonight, but if you need anything else before then you can ring this bell to let me you you need me, ok?" He told him, not expecting the response he didn't get before leaving the room, but not without hesitation. Yuki watched him go, suddenly exhausted all over again before reaching forward to touch the bell. It was so clean, so shiny and pure there was something about it... but as his hand go close he pulled it away, not wanting to touch it. It looked good there so why ruin it? He sighed, turning his head to look once again out the window.

Shigure nodded, "Shigure, the owner of this house. Though granted it's been through a tough time with all these kinds around." He added to himself, but saying it loud and clear. As clear as the fact she wasn't here to play games. As she looked at him he didn't even flinch, he knew that expression, they all did. It was similar to the one Akito wore, though she may of had the coldness down she lacked the crazed obsession part of it. In short, it didn't phase him, only told him that she wasn't a normal everyday person who randomly was walking by him house. Granted that had only happened once with Tohru but...she was a whole nother story. Shigure shrugged, moving out of the doorway to grant her entrance. "He's here but i'm afraid you can't see him, He's resting at the moment and doctors orders are to let him rest as much as possible." He told her, if it was any other way he was sure Momiji would be up there at the moment trying to cheer him up. "However, you're free to stay with us until he does awake." He told her with a shrug, Momiji still peering at her curiously from around Shigure. However after a moment his timid, shy act seemed to vanish. "Come in! Don't mind Shigure, he's harmless really." He told her with a smile, even if he was in the presence of someone else cursed, being around someone who wasn't a Sohma seemed to encourage him to get his normal disposition back. "Tennyo Ceres?" He repeated as he realized exactly who it was, though the recognition only showed on his face for an instant before replaced with a smile. So this was the woman within Aya? The one Aki didn't believe existed? Momiji bowed in greeting, using the moment to restore himself, there was no use fretting over what had happened now.

"Do you want some tea? There's some in the kitchen I can get!" He told her as he pulled her inside, Shigure following and sitting back down in his place. it was clear he wasn't all to surprised to here who she was, and had decided to play it out. Momiji paused as she complimented him. "Me?" He asked pointing at himself with a boyish giggle. "Thank you." He told her with a grin, tilting his head as her question. He nodded, "Mmmmhm! Momiji Sohma!" He introduced, half tempted in introduce his zodiac animal knowing who he was with but habit kept him from doing so. "I do? I don't know who i'm li..." He started before she cut in again. Children? It seemed strange to think she had children, but he had to remind himself that this wasn't Aya after all. Still, he wasn't sure what to say as he smiled, 'I'll go get some tea..." He told her, starting to get up but never making it to the kitchen as he felt her arms wrap around him. Momiji resisted the urge to wince as her arms touched his wounds, though a second later it didn't mater because he found himself on the ground as a small white rabbit. He looked around, after a second hopping up onto the table. "Well, I assume you knew of my identy before...right?" He asked, hopping onto the Tennyo's shoulder as he tilted his head, his floppy ears falling everywhere. His bruises were still pretty well covered considering the white fur he now had covering his body. Besides, discoloration was hard to spot on a rabbit just because there were so many different shades possible for a rabbits coat.

.Tell me..What do they see. When they look at me?.Do they see my many personalities.ღ

"When did I start losing sight of myself? When did I start to become a monster?" Hoarse questions erupted from Mikage Aki's parched throat. His dry lips parted slightly to let out a wheeze for breathing had become an almost painful task. "What happened to me back there? I was so sure...I'd win that fight with Haru. Heh...never thought a Sohma would end up bringing me to my knees." The young man scoffed bitterly, his sapphire hues scanning every single surrounding for a familar figure. What if Haru Sohma followed him? What if the young man wanted to finish their battle? Would Aki truly die this time? Could he even hold his own against another assult? What about the younger boy? The one who had thrown himself in between an enrage Haru just to protect him from another direct hit. Why? Why had Momiji saved him? Why had he interfered? Hadn't he thought about his own life? Pausing in mid-stride, the male gingerly moved a hand towards his left side, where a violent kick had snapped two of his ribs into tiny fractures. Facial features expressed horrid pain for it hurt to even move his torso an inch, much less make the effort to walk 3 simple blocks to the Mikage House. Battered. Aki was battered and bruise both emotionally and physically. Those eyes of his which had gleamed with arrogance now appeared glazed by anguish. His flawless face sported several cuts with drying blood coming from one side of his mouth. A once clean uniform lay in complete ruin, green-yellow grass spots blotched Aki's tailored shirt, while faint smudges of gore decorated the front like a soldier's badge. The only exception being that he had come out as the loser in this battle. There was no honor in winning a pointless fight provoked by stupidity. A battle provoked by one boy who blamed an innocent person for his sibling's odd behavior. Yuki Sohma. The boy who he blamed needlessly. The boy who didn't even know what had taken place at his school. What would the silver-haired Sohma do if he caught wind? Would he loath Aki? Would he want to fight him? Would he also take out his anger on Aya? The knowledge of what Aki's ignorance had produced only served in shattering his fragile composure. Moving behind a large oak tree, the young man slid down into a seated position as raspy gurgles escaped him. The humiliation at school hurt, but it wasn't the reason why he cried. Or perhaps a lesson in humbleness had affected him? He knew the truth. Even if the truth threatened to drive Aki into hiding, he knew why Haru had acted so violently against him. His attitude. That attitude which sprang from nowhere. That attitude of hatred, obsession and loneliness that still swirled in some undetermined location.

That attitude had served as a driving force to find fault in people. 'Makes me wonder about Aya's location? Where could she be? Hmm...I shouldn't care about that now...but instead I should worry about the domino effect. Who knows how she'll react upon knowing what occurred between Haru and I. All the terrible things I said about you...about Yuki. Most of all...I regret knowing that I wished death for you my dearest sister.' Where had his humanity gone too? Had it taken a back seat? "A human? It's hard to believe I'm even capable of using that word. I should label myself a monster instead." Aki snickered beneath his breath, voice cracking slightly as bodily pain mixed in with his shame. How would the day turn out tomorrow? What about in the future? Would he have to face the principal? The young man reached upwards to flicker away his tears with one shaky index finger. Though his attempts at containing his sorrow were in vain, more tears sprang forth to cover his cheeks in a moist blanket of pure anguish. Anyone passing by could easily be moved by his heart-felt cries, yet Aki was thankful for the privacy provided by the large tree. "These stubborn tears won't leave me alone. I should head home before anyone familiar ends up finding me in this condition." The blond-haired youth whispered softly, extending one hand forward to balance his injured side carefully. With the other arm out-stretched towards a limp tree branch, Aki strained to wrap trembling fingers across the fragile sapling. Lips thinned into a determined line, the young man hauled himself to his feet even though the effort caused his ribs to throb. "Ugh..." He groaned, quickly plastering a hand to the area that screamed in protest. "I..it hurts...badly.." Aki hissed, his eyes clouding from the sheer pain "Haru got me there good....I deserved it though. Just like I deserve this feeling of shame...I also deserve Aya's anger." Pulling in a shallow breath, the youth began to stumble forward at an extremely slow pace, which would put even the slowest snail in first place. Step by step, inch by inch Aki dragged his battered body across the sidewalk, ignoring the stares of people as he walked by. Many civilians stopped in mid-stride to gaze at him with wide eyes and many also turned to their partners to whisper poisonous lies about him. 'Shut up!' Lifting his head upwards, the young man met their stares with acidic blue hues as if daring them to say the words to his face "Don't you know that it is rude to stare?" He questioned furiously, fists clenched tightly. The frozen foot-falls immediately scurried away from the aggressive young man, for who knew what a bloodied teenager would do to unfamiliar strangers. Aki's lips curled downwards in a small smile, until he pushed it aside with a simple scold. "Enough."

Being aggressive would not bring him pleasure nor would it help ease his burdened heart. Aggression had proven to be his worst enemy at least in this situation. If Aki hadn't acted so rudely, would the smaller male have revealed his secret? Would the outcome be different? What about the curse? How could a thing even exist? The young man reached his front door after twenty minutes of slow walking down a desolate sidewalk littered with fall leaves. Straightening slightly, the blond-haired youth reached into his pockets, fishing around his personal belongings to find the house keys. After rummaging for a good minute, Aki pulled out a set of gold-tinged master keys belonging to the main entrance. The process for opening the front door was an agonizing one, but he was thankful for the heavy silence that met him. "Mom! Dad! Aya! I'm home....I've finally come home..." He called out into the quiet house and soon found himself facing the notion of complete solitude. Alone. Aki was completely alone with his tormented emotions and thoughts. Slamming the door shut behind him, the young man tossed his back pack against the couch. "Aya! Stop hiding from me! Tell me the truth now! Are you really not human? Can you truly destroy me with a single glance!?" His distraught voice rose over the tense silence, as if trying to find a way to immerse himself with noise. Aki kept calling out till the pain in his ribs and throat forced him to ease down on the out-burst of frustration. Dry lips parted slightly, he let out short cries filled with sadness. "I...I've done it this time. What have I done now? I could have known about the curse...had I not mentioned being a skeptic." It was his nature to dispell curses without proof. How could one go blabbing about paranormal activity when a logical cause could always be found? What proof did Haru have to say his sister was anything, but human? How could a regular human destroy him with a single glance? "Aya wouldn't hurt a fly." Aki insisted, staggered all the way to the living room couch. Lowering his body down on the soft fabric, the young man turned upright to stare at the white-wash ceiling with cloudy sapphire hues. Extending feet outwards, Aki closed his eyes warily for the pain in his side flared to unimaginable heights, not to mention the constant scenes from before rose to assult his mind. Clamping a pillow over his eyes, the young man rolled his head sideway to avoid swallowing his own tears. Sadness mixed in with his regret. Everything he had said came back to haunt his thoughts, even though a part of him attempt to place the blame on Aya Mikage. "How is it Aya's fault? How is it Yuki's fault as well? Haru was right all along....my sister was messed up since the beginning. Why hadn't I noticed it before?" He asked himself, throwing the cushion against the wall in sheer fury. Gritting his teeth violently, the blond-haired teenager forced himself to relax despite the many obstacles threatening to prevent him from napping peacefully. Aki refused to show Aya his weakness. He refused to bring more worry for his poor sibling. All he could do to help Aya was by regaining a bit of his strength and hopefully the youth could patch things up with the white-haired Sohma.

*********

"The owner of this house? Well Shigure...this house seems fascinating." The Celestial Maiden turned her attention to the zodiac dog with a slight smile appearing on her lips. Yet, it wasn't the type of smile to express politeness, joy or vengence. Instead it was a small gesture reflecting Ceres' reserved nature. If this stately house was own by Shigure, then who owned the other estate? Hatori? Maybe Akito? Golden orbs fell half shut as memories from previous events resurfaced ' She lay dormant within her descendent's body, peacefully asleep till Aya's anger tore into the Tennin's slumber. Honey-colored hues parted open hesistantly for the blond-haired girl seemed to lose herself with the discovery of Yuki's bloodied body. "What the hell have you done!?" Aya's enraged voice prompted Ceres to begin taking control of Aya's tense body. Minutes later, the angel of death appeared in a burst of white light. Black hair waving wildly about in the wind created by her very own transformation, Ceres walked forth with one hand stretched towards Akito Sohma. Hate-filled eyes promised a horrible death to the man who would harm an innocent being. While the angry maiden focused her fury on Akito, the living room become a mess as pottery and pictures broke into a thousand peices. "Please don't!" The weak voice belonging to Yuki Sohma broke through her rage, golden orbs shifted in time to see the zodiac rat standing between her and Akito.' "That vision again. I can't keep it from my head." Ceres whispered to herself, eyes opening in time to see Shigure moving out of the doorway. His words prompted her to speak "I understand. Something serious must have happened to Haru Sohma if he has been directed by a doctor to rest. However, I bid you my gratitude for allowing me to stay here till he wakes." The Tennin spoke out in a low tone, her head lowering slightly as if in thought. Focusing amber hues to the ground, Ceres felt a tug of confusion in her heart. Why hadn't Shigure expressed disgust towards her? Why hadn't he shown fear? Shouldn't Shigure be aware of what she had committed back at the main estate? What about the destruction she had caused against Akito Sohma? Perhaps, he remained unaware or if he was, then the young man did an excellent job at hiding his true emotions. Momiji's sweet voice interrupted the Tennin from her thoughts, twisting around to gaze at the younger male, Ceres merely nodded

"Yes. I'm indeed a Tennyo. Of course to some the very fact of having an angel roaming around Earth seems absurd." She chuckled bitterly "I'm only residing within Aya till I find what I'm looking for. Though...the object of my search is not here." The raven-haired woman explained, knowing amber hues turning back to Momiji with a slight glint in them. The object of her desperate search. The fabled Mana. The small orb of energy that enabled her to fly to and from Earth. The simple peice of organic matter that sustained her life. Although she had no need for the mana now, but if Ceres kept using her precious Celestial energy, she would end up dying again. As long as Aya continued to breath, the heavenly maiden would continue to reside within her. Offering guidance or coming out to combat threats. Not that there were many in this world, though Ceres could count a few people who needed to be exterminated. One of them going by the last name of Sohma, while another finished with the last name of Mikage. Wait a minute. Did Ceres want to continue shedding blood? Did she want to come out with blood-stained hands? The young woman pulled in a small intake of air 'You win Aya. I will not lay a hand on Akito...but if he provokes me..then the deal is off.' Pushing away the gloomy thoughts, the raven-haired female followed closely behind Momiji's shorter form, slightly amused that the young man treated her kindly. "Tea would be wonderful...unfortunately I seemed to have ruined your chances at getting it." Ceres pointed out, reaching a tentative hand to rub the rabbit's soft head. She stiffened slightly as the young man hopped from the table onto her shoulder "I can't say I know you well enough..for this is the first time we meet physically..on the other hand I've seen you and the other Sohma's through Aya's eyes. That is whenever..that side of her is in control." The Tennin explained, hoping the boy understood that she and Aya could switch places at will "I do not know if I'm wrong...but are you feeling alright?" She questioned, closing amber hues to get a sense of Momiji's energy. If her suspicion proved correct the boy could be injured, but then again Ceres could be paranoid herself. She wouldn't know for certain unless the wounds were visable or if the boy demonstrated some type of pain. Turning sideways to the young man perched on her shoulder, the Tennin couldn't help mumbling a small question to Momiji "Tell me something Momiji...are you scared of me? Do I look frightening?" Ceres questioned softly, her eyes softening with a sad expression as she thought back to Yuki's reaction. Was she truly a monster worth fearing? Or was it the reputation Ceres had built for herself?

Shigurre laughed waving around as if waving off the compliment. "You think so? I do try my best, though the fact it's still standing with both Yuki and Kyo under it's roof is fascinating in itself." He pointed out, despite what had happened to Yuki, Shigure didn't want to talk about him as if something horrible were going on. While it was, for now it was perhaps best to keep going, let Yuki know they were cheering for him, not observing him from the shadows. He laughed, the normal Shigure that few listened to and few blew off. Very few suspected there was ever anything going on in his mind, let alone something serious. Hatori was the only one who seemed to find the difference, and read the thoughts that did go through his head. he knew who this woman was. The whole family knew about her. The woman that had almost killed Akito before Yuki stopped her. He had heard the rumor had ever reached Yuki's parents who were proud of him for protecting Akito. Shigure, along with everyone else knew what kind of parents they were, and there was nothing they could do about it. Personally Shigure couldn't find one way to argue Ceraes actions. He respected her for standing up for Yuki, she'd had every right to do it. Yet Shigure also could not agree with it, he could not imagine allowing anyone to hurt Akito. He knew the look he saw in her eyes, he'd seen plenty of it. It was the look someone received when thoughts and memories replayed in you're mind, a show for one. Not just any memories, but the haunting kind that send pains into you're chest. Shigure pretended not to hear her comment to herself, ushering her in. "Come, come! We don't want you catching a cold now..." He sang, the tune coming from no where, especially since it was easily 60 degrees out, hardly anything that was going to cause a cold. "Oh yes well... Haru is about as good at getting himself beat up as Kyo, but he's a trained martial artist i'm sure he'll be up and moving here soon." He told her with a slight laugh. It seemed she didn't know what had happened, or if she did at least not the details. If she didn't know that it was a good bet Aya didn't know, and that was good news. He'd heard the story from Momiji, that was one more thing that she didn't need to worry about right now, he intended to keep it that way as long as he could.

Momiji giggled a bit at her comment. "Really?" He asked, since he was a child nothing had been absurd, and not just because he had been with a curse since birth. He had always had a wild imagination anyway, so something like angels wandering around was never that strange. "You know what else is absurd?" Momiji asked her, tilting his face to look at her. "That I possess the spirit of the zodiac rabbit and that HE possesses the spirit of the zodiac dog." He said with a giggle as he pointed to Shigure. However as he spoke another voice ran though his head, this one cold and doubtful. 'I don't mean to sound so rude...or like I'm offending anyone...but curses are so absurd,' He recognized the voice, the doubt. Aki....It may be absurd, but it's the reality that your sister, my family and i live with... He thought, though he knew the boy couldn't hear him. Maybe even you... He added, though like Shigure his thoughts seemed to be buried deep as he continued. "So you're looking for something Angel-sama?" He asked her, tilting her his head to look at her as he leaned forward. "And then you can go home? It's a wonder you're still here." He said with a laugh. It was a simple way to break a curse. If it was something like that for their curse, Momiji didn't have a doubt that it would be broken by now. Whether by Tohru, Rin, or any other of their ancestors. If only it was that easy, but no one knew how to break theirs. If someone did it would be Akito...and he wasn't giving that up any time soon. "So what are you looking for anyway?" Momiji asked curiously. Sure he knew the story, but like a child he hadn't yet connected the two. He didn't seem to realize he was in the presence of an angel, he was talking away as if it was anyone.

Momiji nodded up at her as he transformed, jumping up out of his clothes onto the table, jumping in circles. "Yeah....I can't go get it, if I try it'll squish me!" He said with a slight giggle. "It's too bad too! It was really good tea! I made it for Haru-sama, but there's extra for us..." He would of kept going, but was cut off by the other male at the table. "Very well I can take a hint, I'll go get the tea." He said, in a swift movement he was up and out of the room, humming to himself in the kitchen. Momiji nodded, "I get it!" He said with a smile that seemed a bit out of place on a rabbit. "Aya and you are like me and the rabbit spirit!" He said with a small laugh. "Only...the two of you are just that, two separate and distinct. The rabbit and i are blended and melded into one person...but i still know what you mean." He said with a laugh., a little startled by her question that followed. He laughed, "You're observant." He told her, from his position on her shoulder poking his head out to look at her face. "Haru's scary when he's fighting, and so is Kyo." Momiji giggled. "I managed to get in the middle of the fight and got pushed aside. I'm ok! just a couple small bruises." He winked before jumping off her her shoulder and onto the ground. He knew that wasn't quite the truth he had ten dark bruises on his arms and scrapes all up his side. Still what was the use of her worrying about it? There wasn't much to be done, and he wasn't the one to be worried after.

Momiji smiled, looking around before deciding to start bouncing from one corner of the table to the other diagonally. It kept him well entertained until her next quesiton. Momiji tilted his head. "Scary?" He asked, watching her. He shook his small head, his ears flopping all over. If he had seen it from Yuki's perspective, he could see how that one moment could of been scary, a dangerious look in her eyes and power radiating from her body. It was enough to send shivers down his spine just thinking about it. HER though? No, she wasnt' scary. "No you're not Angel-sama!" He told her, using it as a nick name for now with a smile. "You may have passion, but that doesn't make you scary, anyone who cares can be scary if pushed to far!" He told her, for a moment his thoughts going to Haru, one of the prime examples of that. "I think you look very...angelic!" He told her, as he heard Shigure coming back bouncing off the table and over to the door to hop around Shigure's feet. "Ok! Ok! Hold on there, if i don't make it to the table you won't get any." He told Momiji, who instantly stopped, Shigure setting the tray on the table and pouring three glasses, handing one to Ceres and setting the other on the table to Momiji to drink out of, finding a straw and drinking it that way.

*********************************************************8

Haru groaned as he started to regain consciousness, opening his eyes to look around only to be met with light to bright for his eyes. Automatically he sat up, pulling his hands to his eyes, and instantly regretting sitting up. HIs whole head grew dizzy and he slowly became away of a pounding on the back of his head. Raising a hand up behind his head he touched the back, surprised to find a large lump there. "What happened?" He said aloud, still hiding his eyes behind a curtain of hair. "So you don't remember huh?" He heard a familiar voice as he glanced past his hair to where an orange haired figure was laying down on a mat identical to his. "I guess I did knock you out pretty bad, sorry about that but you were beyond out of control." Kyo told the ox, Haru closing his eyes, bit and pieces coming back to him now, slowly fitting together. Talking with Aya...then Aki. Momiji wanting to tell him, and Haru advising against it. Aki had changed after that, changed into someone he didn't know. It was a bold statement considering he hadn't met him before that, but he was sure it wasn't how he had been supposed to be. Aki had gotten aggressive, and he's been looking for a fight. He didn't remember all the fight, but he seemed to remember every comment spoken by Aki, and by him. It was enough to start a spark in his chest again, but it was nothing like before and quickly went out. What had happened after that though. How had Kyo...he looked at his cousin who's removed his blankets and was now laying on his mat in shorts and a tank top. There were scratches all up and down his arms and legs, bruises were scattered randomly up and down his legs. Speaking of which he looked down at his own body.

As he was waking up he was beginning to feel more and more of it. His body was stiff, his he's moved his arms before was beyond him because it hurt to bend them. He wondered how bad he really looked, how bad was his face?He wasn't sure he wanted to know, he just knew the bump on the back of his head hurt a lot. "That hurt by the way..." he said, lowering his head to touch the lump again. Kyo shrugged, suddenly Haru's expression changing. "Momiji!" He said, Kyo looking away from the ceiling to look at his cousin questioningly. "What about him?" Kyo asked. "Is he all right? I threw him didn't i?" Haru asked, the memory burly as Kyo nodded. "Ya you do and that kids gonna have quite a few bruises, but he could walk and everything fine when i carried you back..." "You carried me?" Haru cut him, Kyo nodding silently, his eyes once again one the ceiling. "I'm sorry...' Haru told him, laying back to support his back again. Kyo sighed, "Just that happened anyway?" Kyo asked, Haru sighing as he closed his eyes, beginning to tell his cousin exactly what he had stepped into.

.Tell me..What do they see. When they look at me?.Do they see my many personalities.ღ

An angel? Or A devil? Savior or destroyer? In what spectrum did Ceres Mikage fall into? Did she belong in the role of being a murderer or protective guardian? Some called her an abomination. Others called the Ancient Tennyo a blessing in disguise, but Ceres knew the nickname Aya had come to call her 'The Devil'. The Devil Inside. The devil who showed no mercy to her enemies. The cold-blooded killer who would either dissolve her foes in a powerful burst of light or slice them into several peices with a single glance of those acidic golden hues. 'Of course...everyone has seen what I'm capable of doing with these powers.' Bringing her hands out from beneath the table, The Celestial Maiden extended them into a flattened position. With just a single thought and flick of her wrist, this very house could become a tangled mass of wood and shattered furniture. 'This power flows through me...like it does with Aya Mikage. She too is capable of unleashing heavenly energy, but the full extent of her divine presence has not awaken yet. Of course the longer I remain here tapping into Aya's powers...the sooner that side of her will rise. Unlike me, there is no reason for Aya to use those Tennyo powers....' It would be a blessing if Aya had remained unaware of her other half. The other side of the blond-haired girl who could awaken if pushed to the brink of no return. 'The Mikage Line has the blood of an angel coursing through them, but generations of breeding have thinned out the possibility of a girl being born with Tenshi characteristics. Some of the females unlucky enough to display even a small amount of energy were exterminated at the ripe age of sixteen. Yes...the age where their body is strong enough for me to take over. However, Aya is the exception here...the blood flowing within her is strong enough for my presence to thrive...and the conditions are right for another half-Tennin to be born...if Aya were to ever bare children.' The burden of being the descendant of a Tennin would forever haunt the Mikage Family, but it wasn't completely their fault. None of her 'children' asked to be born under unfavorable circumstances. The one who was to blame was none other, then Shiso Mikage. 'That man...' Swallowing the lump in her throat, Ceres wiped every single thought from her mind. She reminded herself that falling into distraction would not aid her, instead her presence could become a burden for the struggling Sohma family. Raising a left hand in mid-air, the raven-haired woman dismissed Shigure's comment "Tennyo's can't get colds." She informed him with a tight-lipped smile, though a part of her knew how completely false that statement was. Even a holy being such as herself wasn't completely protected by the elements, the consequences stemming from being locked inside a human body. If Aya got sick, she to would become ill. On the other hand if Aya were to die, then Ceres would also cease to exist and the tragic cycle would repeat itself all over again.

'Am I doomed to continue dying over and over again? Will I ever be able to reunite with my children in heaven?' Ceres mused with a wistful expression etched across her face. 'One thing is for sure...I didn't come all this way to begin lamenting my own tragedy...I need to complete my mission before Aya decides to take over.' A quick check of her descendant's energy level indicated Aya was still curled up in ball. Her features were anything, but peaceful as nightmares assaulted the blond-haired girl even in sleep. Glossy red lips thinned into a worried line for the girl hardly showed any distress, so why was she speaking in an odd language? "Seems Aya is not coming out anytime soon. Exhaustion must of pushed her into a deep sleep if I'm not mistaken." The Tennyo spoke softly, her attention immediately falling on the zodiac dog "Haru and Kyo involved in a battle? I suppose so, those two like to quarrel for various reasons. It doesn't surprise me at all." Ceres responded, tilting her head sideways as a knowing smile graced her delicate facial features. She had a fierce suspicion that Aki Mikage might have been involved in the Sohma battle, but for now Ceres would fake ignorance. Although knowing exactly what happened would ease the burden in her heart, though at the same time Aya would undoubtedly worry over everyone. 'If Aki truly has fault in this battle between Haru and Kyo...Aya is better off not know. Same as Yuki...those two have enough worries piled on their plate.' Relax. She needed to relax every tense muscle in her body, but resting had proven to be a difficult task even for Ceres. Being on constant guard,expending large amount of Celestial Energy looking for one lost object and threatening others had drained her of precious resources. No one could blame her though. She had descended from heaven as a peaceful angel looking to bathe in the hot springs, however circumstances turned Ceres into what she is today. A woman on constant guard. Afraid to let anyone in. Afraid to let those on the outside see who the raven-haired girl was behind the strong barrier. 'In reality...I'm just a heart-broken woman seeking my place in the world. I'm not as powerful as I seem.' This was the reputation she had built for herself. No. Her descendants had counted horror stories of Ceres ripping men from limb to limb. Those were false myths, however Mikage had suffered that fate for killing her oldest daughter Miku. Inhaling inwardly, the Celestial Maiden shook her head to clear away trouble thoughts, as Momiji's musical giggle reached her sensitive ears. Turning her head to the side, golden hues settled on the white rabbit with the faintest hint of a smile tugging at her lower lip. "Oyi..it is absurd...but at least it makes us unique." She attempted to joke, even though her voice lacked the enthusiasm. 'What is there to be joyful about? Curses aren't fun...but we are doomed to drag them behind us like crosses.' Ceres pondered mentally, her eyes averting quickly to the ground at Momiji's next question.

This one hit home and the Tennin turned away as the familar sting of tears threatened to well up inside her. How should she explain without dragging out dark details from her past? How would everyone react to knowing her past? After several minutes of tense silence, the raven-haired female raised her head to gaze into Momiji's eyes with fragile honey-colored orbs glistening with unshed tears. "So, many questions Momiji-Chan. However, I'll answer them for you." She reassured him with a trembling smile "The object of my desperate search is an object called 'Mana'. In other words...it is what gives me the ability to go between Heaven and Earth. Not to mention Mana is vital in order for me to stay alive....a Tennyo can't survive for long without it. I'm not a regular human who can live and walk around earth....the only way I could be a regular human would be by sacrificing my immortality. However, that is an impossible task for I have no physical body. I'm just a simple spirit residing within Aya..my only task is to find what belongs to me. On the other hand...I have no clue as to where the Mana could be hidden. The man who stole it from me...took all secrets to his grave." Ceres whispered the last bit, her orbs taking on a far away look. { "You belong to me....and only me. I will not forgive any man looking at you either. Plus...why do you need the mana? This thing will someday take you and the children away from me!" Mikage's handsome features twisted into an enraged expression. Tossing out a hand, he threw aside several tables as the Celestial Maiden begged on hands and knees 'Please Mikage! Return it to me! Without it I'll die!" Ceres pleaded with her husband, but the male only cared for himself. Glinting blue orbs gazed down at the teary golden orbs, lips twisted into a sickening grin as Mikage struck his hand across the maiden's cheek. She was thrown backwards by the force of the blow, shock freezing her as the once kind man descended down to face level 'Mine...all mine. I will never allow you to leave my side...and for that...you'd have to kill me..." He hissed, his voice becoming like a poisonous thorn in her heart. "I will have you..whenever I want..." As if to mock her into humiliation, the brown-haired male ripped her ceremonial garments, along with the necklaces he had given her before their wedding. Twisted laughter escaped the man, as he left her nude and completely abused "Where was the man who loved me? Was it all an illusion? } She snapped from her nightmarish vision, while one hand wiped angrily at the tears. Why was she crying? Ceres couldn't allow herself to show a moment of weakness in front of the Sohma's. Did that mean she possessed a heart? One that still bled from all the betrayal Mikage had inflicted upon her? Shrugging away the questions, the young man allowed a warily smile to appear "Tea would be nice..." Honey-colored orbs fell shut again, but reopened as Momiji answered her previous question. Bruises? A fight? How could the little boy have involved himself in a fight with teenagers?

She didn't understand,yet her eyes reflected concern for the zodiac rabbit. "Small bruises still sound painful. Are you sure...you don't need some medical attention? I have minor healing powers...so I maybe of some use to you or anyone who needs my assistance." She offered, knowing it was the least she could do after all the damaged caused by her in the first place. What the blond-haired youth said next, made the Tennin look at him with an awkward expression etched across her face "I'm not certain if I'm the 'caring' type of person. And I certainly don't fit the description of being angelic." She admitted to the zodiac rabbit. Her voice faded into heavy silence, once Shigure appeared with the tray in hand, while he settled the full glasses on the table, Ceres reached out to take the cup from the male's grasp. Bringing the tepid liquid to her lips, the Tennyo took a small sip of the amber liquid and soon took note that it was almost the same shade as her eyes. "This tastes pretty good." Ceres complimented, settling the glass carefully back on the table. Raising her gaze towards the hallway, she captured the glimpse of still wind chimes hanging from the nails. 'Bells? I remember the sound of wind chimes back at Aya's porch...the sound would always drive away my worries.' Raising a hand in mid-air, the Tennin swung her hand sideways as if directing an orchestra to start playing. A few minutes later, the silver tubes began ringing with a smooth sound, while the she concentrated on relaxing frayed nerves. Although, minutes later the young woman could of sworn she sensed other energies around her. "Hopefully...I'll be able to talk with Haru soon. I have a feeling...I'll end up zoning out." She replied, reaching out to rub Momiji's ear affectionately, though at the same time she seemed to study his fur in an attempt to discover where his wounds might lie.

Momiji watched Ceres carefully as she once again dove into her own thoughts. It was strange, when you saw normal people on the street they never spent as much time thinking on the past. Normal people didn't have to worry about it, sure it was ont heir mind and affected them, but not like it did any of them. Not like it did people who were cursed. Was that what made curses so scary? You're own mind. Even his family, they didn't their best to ignore it and act as if it was nothing, but the curse was their life, it effected everything they did and was never forgotten. He looked up at Ceres, "It's ok you know, you may not be part of our family, but you still fit in here." He told her. The young bunny had no idea what was running through her head, but he had a tendency to hit on others thoughts. She wasn't part of the zodiac but they were all cursed, that didn't make any of them bad people. "You know...once thing i beleive with all my heart is that nothing that's happened to us, or you is our fault." He told her, his thoughtful attitude showing through again. "What had happened to us, and what we've been though...we can't control it." He pointed out. None of his family, none of his cousins had done anything to deserve the vicious cycle they were stuck in. He didn't know Cere's full story but he was sure it wasn't hers either. "But all we can do is keep fighting, right?" He asked, a child-like expression filling his voice. "No matter what it's important to keep fighting!" He smiled as he laid down on the table. Shigure smiled a bit despite himself as he listened to his cousin, he was one of the few that seemed to live by that code, most just gave up. Momiji was one of the inspirations of the family, they all had tough stories...but Momiji had a way of making you feel comfortable, though Kyo sometimes seemed immune. He nodded as he watched Ceres, "I see...well at least come inside then." He told her, not completely convinced her statement was true but who was he to argue her? It hardly mattered anyway.

Momiji smiled, "Well that's ok! Let her sleep!" He said with a smile as he remembered their previous conversation, she could use a good rest, no need to overwork herself and make things worse. Shigure just laughed at her remark for the two of them. "Yuo may not know them personally, but you'd obviously seen them, especially Kyo, he has a knack for finding fights, though i suppose initiating them is a better word." he laughed, Momiji glancing at him momentary. They both knew that this was one fight Kyo hadn't had anything to do with, at least not in the beginning, he'd just happened to stop by partway thought, and thank goodness for that. At her comment about Aki though Shigure's laugh seemed to grow quieter as if her words held more meaning, and Momiji looked at Ceres questioningly. "It wasn't Kyo's battle...." Shigure told her in response to her comment, as if confirming something. Though It explained nothing unless you already knew what he was referring to already, but he wasn't trying to explain. "A Curse is a curse...and it seems Aya's not the only one under it." Momiji added. Whether or not it was true Momiji chose to believe that Aki's worse were just part of a curse, and nothing more. They weren't part of him, he couldn't of truly meant them....it must of been a curse that had made him...he wasn't really that way... Momiji didn't know if it was true, he didn't know if it was just a family attitude passed down, but he would rather believe it was a curse and Aki wasn't at fault, and for now that's what he was going to believe.

Momiji nodded, "Unique...that's a good way to look at it!" He said, as if it didn't bug him at all. Anyone that knew him knew that wasn't true thought. he didn't like this curse, what it had done to his family, to his mom and dad. The difference was he was one of the select few that seemed to keep a positive attitude, and though he knew he was powerless, did all he could. It didn't mean it had less effect on him, just that he had much more of an open mind than most adults. Momiji knew he asked a lot of questions, and wouldn't of even thought twice if she had decided not to answer them. Momiji asked so many questions that only half of them probably got answered anyway. Everyone deserved the right to privacy if they wanted it after all. As he saw tears rising in her eyes Momiji gasped. "Ceres!" He cried, jumping at her again, despite his size almost knocking the angel down. He nodded as he listened, not wanting to interrupt her story. Once again he saw memories rise up as he jumped up onto her shoulder, wrapping his arms around her neck. "I'm so sorry...if you want i can help look!" He told her, regardless he would have no idea where to look, or what it looked like, but that didn't seem to cross his mind. Momiji's mind was much to simple to worry about the details. He just wanted to help, despite the fact he was cursed himself. "You know...we really don't even know our curse...do we Shigure?" He asked, turning to the dog who had pulled his manuscripts out of some where and seemed to be writing, but listening to everything as he nodded, "We know about as much as anyone who hears the legend." He explained. God invited our spirits to a banquet, the cat was tricked by the rat and rode on the ox..." Shigure summarized it. It was frustrating because somewhere they knew that wasn't the whole story, therefor making it practically impossible to break .

Momiji watched as Shigure left, shaking his head viciously, his long ears flying all over the place. "Don't worry about it! Really!! He laughed. "You can hardly see them...if you want to heal someone Haru and Kyo got each other pretty bad...or Yuki!" He added with a small, reassuring smile. "Either way it's nothing to worry about, it's not that bad...REALLY." He added again, "Bruises are bruises, you can get them without even knowing how!" He laughed, listening to her again as she suddenly felt awkward. Momiji let go, jumping up onto her shoulder again. "Just because you're stuck here and pain had been caused over you doesn't mean you're not kind." He pointed out. "Sure...because of who we are we cause people pain, but it doesn't change who we are does it?" He asked, thinking of his mother for a second but brushing it away. "You care...or else why are you here to check on Haru? Why do you care so much for Aya. You care, the only difference is you have power...doesn't mean you're less caring! As for Angelic..." He started, tilting his head to look at her face. "You may not see it, but I can see it," He assured her. It wasn't just a lie either. She looked tired and worn out by time, but there was still a beauty there, figmants of what she once had been. It was there, just buried under pain. "What do you think SHigure?" Momiji asked as he turned to look at his cousin. Shigure nodded, "There's certainly a beauty to her!" He agreed. Momiji giggling. "MmmmHmmmm!" He agreed turning back to look at her. "You like it?" Momiji asked happily, "Shigure wanted to make it...but he puts weird stuff in it so i made it instead!" He laughed, glancing at his cousin. It was always better not to let him in the kitchen at all because he had a tendency to mix items to get strange dishes. At her mention of bells both Momiji and Shigure turned to look at the wind chimes which began to play a moment later. He smiled, "They're pretty." He agreed as he rested his head on her shoulder with a smile. "It's ok...We'll wake you up!" He said, though she hadn't really said anything about actually sleeping. "They'll be down here soon enough." He told her with a smile as he leaned into her touch.

Kyo glanced at his cousin as he finished, tearing his eyeso ff of the ceiling he seemed to of found so intresting during his story. His hands were folded behind his head. "So that's what happened huh?" He asked, shaking his head. "I should of let you keep fighting..." Kyo muttered under his breath, just at irritated by Aki's attitude as Haru. Haru shrugged, looking again. "Momiji didn't seem to want me too..." He pointed out, Kyo just shrugging in response. "So? That stupid rabbit didn't have to get in between it." He said, Haru sighing and nodding a bit. "I suppose, but we doing have to add a death into the situation right now..." Haru pointed out, Kyo nodding in agreement at that one. "Damn..." Kyo hissed under his breath, Haru turning back to look at him curiously. "I've been spending thel ast hour debating if i wanted to get up...i just can't force myself to get up..." He told him, needless to say he was in pain. Haru winced, "I'm sorry." He said again, Kyo shaking his head. "What the hell are you apologizing...stupid ox..." Kyo hissed, partof his normal attitude seeming to returning. "Don't worry about it, i got you back." He pointed out, Haru realizing he was right. He had sat up without thinking but now he was still curled around his legs, not wanting to move. Slowly he uncurled himself, forcing himself to put his legs down as he surveyed the damages.

Kyo was right, they were about even. He looked around the same as Kyo, bruises running up his legs, stomach, chest and arms. Everywhere red cuts decorated his bruised skin. Some here larger, some were deeper, but there were to many to keep track. The difference was Kyo didn't have the pounding lump on the back of his head. "I suppose you're right." Haru said after a moment with a small laugh, his throat sore and dry from yelling. Was i really yelling that loud? He thought to himself, trying to remember back to the fight but he wasn't sure. It was all a blur, it wasn't uncommon. To be honest it wasn't uncommon to not remember much from his times as Black Haru other than the basics. The details of what he did were rarely there because he was in such a high emotional state and the time it happened he didn't notice the details, and this time had been worst than most. "Do you hear that?" He asked as suddenly the sound of bells fromt he porch floated up from the porch. "Hear what?" Kyo asked, not seeming to be paying full attention. "To the wind chimes..." He said, tilting his head, after a second Kyo nodding. "Yeah, what about them?" He asked, Haru frowning. "They weren't sounding before...and there's no wind outside..." he noted as he glanced out the window. Kyo shrugged, "Why are you worrying about that, I'd be more worried about yourself." He told Haru, who nodded, finding himself not wanting to get up as he sat there, wondering how badly his back was scratched since he couldn't see it. Probably about the same... He told himself, he supposed it felt about the same at any rate, Haru groaning to himself.

.Tell me..What do they see. When they look at me?.Do they see my many personalities.ღ

'I don't understand. I simply don't understand. Despite...what I've done. Despite, knowing what I'm capable off...these people welcome me in their home with open arms. Such kindness..and hospitality flowing from their hearts. What is is strange feeling blossoming in my heart?' Feelings. Strange feeling swirling in her stomach. What were they? Why was she feeling such an awkward mixture of anguish, joy and love? How could one little boy soften her heart? Was it possible to cry after 3,000 years of suffering? 'Fit in? I never thought anyone would ever treat me as an equal. All I have ever experienced has been man's lust for beauty and power. Obsession...the type of obsession that becomes a burden. The type of protective obsession Mikage had with me. That man had once accepted me without question, but I was a fool to believe we could ever live together. I suppose for him...having a powerful Tennyo as a wife brought a lot of wealth and benefits. Lots of money, a flourishing tribe, three healthy children and one lonely woman looked upon. Except...it's different this time. How can Momiji and Shigure welcome me with open arms? I sense no interest in them for power or anything. Instead...I feel the warmth of kindness upon my skin. The kindness that had eluded me for centuries. I have finally found it in the area I expected least.' The Tennin raised her head to gaze at Momiji with an intent expression etched across her face. Sheer astonishment made itself known, for the young woman remained speechless. "Momiji...I.." Ceres stammered in mid-sentence, unable to continue speaking for the words jumbled in her throat. She didn't understand. How could Momiji Sohma hit the nail right on the head? Why? Were her facial expressions to obvious? Swallowing hard, the raven-haired female listened carefully to the boy's wise words and found herself admiring his thoughtfulness. While most boys Momiji's age lacked maturity or the concept for understanding others, he far exceed them. Perhaps, it had to do with the curse? Maybe Momiji Sohma had experienced a pain that made him, who he was today. Just like herself. Ceres was never a bad woman. Never full of malice. Never hateful. The circumstances arose from all the trials Mikage had forced her to go through, even after his death....his descendants continued wreaking havoc on their own daughters. "I really don't know what to say. Your words have left me with a load of emotions...that are new to me. I feel a strange sensation in my stomach....and I'm extremely grateful to everyone in this family for allowing me and Aya into your home. Not only that, but you've treated me as an equal...not as some paranormal creature coming from heaven. This is the first time anyone has looked upon me without fear in their eyes." Ceres explained, fighting back the over-whelming urge to shed tears. Why? Why was she becoming an emotional wreck? Did it have to do with being exposed for so long?

'It has to be that. I have never been out long enough to interact with others. Since my death...I've been stuck in the shadows. Waiting to be released. Waiting to be reborn. Yet, every time I saw myself die...along with my grand-daughter's.' There was no doubt, the Mikage Family would continue practicing their secret ritual. The public didn't know about it nor did the Sohma's. However, the Tennin blocked away the gory images from mind, instead to focus on the young man. His words struck home. She wanted to believe in Momji's words with every fiber of her being, yet guilt prevented Ceres from doing so. "It isn't your fault at all. You didn't asked to be cursed...you never asked to be thrown into a chaotic world where others can reject you for being different. However, I can't say the same for myself." The female glanced skywards at the ceiling with a bitterness forming in her eyes "Your fighting on to stay out of harm's way, to avoid being discovered. Life is a constant battle....for some it's a race to avoid being killed." Fighting? Did Ceres want to keep on battling against the elements? Did she want to continue seeing bloodshed in the family? Why could it be easy to just find the Mana? 'I've survived this far in the race...but Momiji is right. I must continue to fight for what is mine. Just like Aya has to fight against her destiny and hopefully she won't give up on Yuki Sohma. He needs to know how much his cousin's care for him...He also needs to know the love Mikage Aya feels for him.' Lips thinned into a disappointed line as the Celestial Maiden flickered golden eyes from face to face. She heard Shigure's comment, but dismissed it aside. Kyo did have the reputation for knocking on trouble's door and Haru didn't seem like the type to fight unless provoked. If the zodiac cat had not provoked Haru, then who did? "Aki? Don't tell me Aki Mikage was the cause of this mess?" Ceres questioned softly "Of course. How blind I was to not realize it sooner? He is an individual who doesn't believe in curses at all. A skeptic...of everything paranormal...and it doesn't surprise me." She answered lowly "In terms of the Mikage Curse on Aki...he is spared from it." Eyes fell tightly shut in concentration "Although, he has the blood of a Tennyo flowing through his veins...he will never have to worry about transforming. Only a select few in the blood-line ever display Tenshi characteristics. Aya being one of the latter, who can transform into a Tennyo at will...which isn't surprising since she is my direct descendant. Despite, this...I will have to show myself personally to Aki. His reaction might be like the rest of people who have seen me in person. He doesn't know everything that has occured to Aya nor does he know what is happening around him. Sometimes...it's better to be completely unaware....." Ceres broke off, her voice fading into silence. 'He only sees the world in black and white.'

What propelled Aki Mikage to seek the truth? Was it morbid curiosity? Was he concerned for Aya's welfare? Did he suspect something? Why did he want to know? Couldn't the blond-haired male accept living in blissful ignorance? Wouldn't he be happier without a burden to carry on his shoulders? 'He has a right to know about the Mikage Curse, however I'm keeping the Sohma's out of this. Aki doesn't need to go poking his nose where it doesn't belong. Unless, he wants to be thrown into a world of pain and chaos...like the one Aya is experiencing now. Although....I worry over his reaction to the truth.' If Aki was a skeptic, would he believe in her word? Would he believe that Tennyo's existed? How would the young man take the news of his father's death at the hands of the Mikage? How would he also react to knowing his own sister became a near casualty? 'I am certain...he would go insane.' There was a real possibility he would judge her as crazy, even though the proof existed. Hopeless. It was a hopeless task to speak to a stubborn boy, but she had to try. Giving up wasn't an option. Bitter tears began sliding down the Tennyo's face accompanied by a small shake of her shoulders. The burden of carrying such load weighed heavily in Ceres' heart and she couldn't keep the small cries from escaping. Sadness. It was written everywhere. It was written all over the Sohma Family, all over Aya and all over herself. The inescapable cycle that threatened to repeat itself with each century. 'Unique. We're unique in our own ways...yet those differences can break us down into a thousand pieces.' Lifting a trembling hand to her face, the young woman dabbed at her eyes in hopes of preventing more tears from escaping. What happened next caught the heavenly maiden completely off guard, her name resonated in the air momentarily causing Ceres to pause. "Ack!" She cried out in surprise, almost losing balance as Momiji jumped against her. Was he trying to comfort her? His kind offer twisted the Tennin's heart in several places for it was an innocent question coming from the boy's lips. He didn't know how impossible of a task it would be to retrieve the Mana. Even if Momiji succeeded in finding the small orb of energy, he couldn't touch it without Ceres' assistance. "Thank you for offering to help. Though...finding the Mana would be too dangerous for you." She warned, shoving aside the small shivering that threatened to rise. Lips twisted into a gentle smile for the young man seemed to ease her heart and immediately the legend of the zodiac curse came to life. With ears wide open, the Tennin listened to Shigure intently with an occasional nod of understanding. The story was a fascinating some, but somehow lacked a few vital details. How could a family afflicted with the curse not know much about it? Did it have to do with Akito's influence? Maybe, the male knew a way to break it? 'Or perhaps....Akito might be clueless as well. I have my doubts.'

She kept her opinions over the zodiac secret veiled, instead Ceres opened her mouth to speak "You've told me about your curse and now it's time for me to tell you the truth over mine. However, Yuki must never find out or who knows how he'd react to the news. Remember that man who stole the Mana from me? He went by the name of Shiso Mikage and he was my husband many years ago. " She described him as a soft-spoken and gentle-natured male "Our village was attacked one day by a neighboring tribe, their warriors nearly killed him until I stepped him to protect him. From his point of view..it seemed that a Tennyo protecting him was awkward...so I bestowed upon him a portion of my power. As the time went on, he changed into an obsessive man bent on keeping me tied up. On a night of celebration Mikage took the Mana away from me...even though I told him it was my life....after a while..my strength began to fade. Left without another alternative, I left the tribe with children in tow. I didn't know it at the time, but as we came up the hill Mikage appeared to block our path....Miku the oldest child tried to reason with him...but he hit her from behind. The impact was enough to kill her and in that instant...as I gazed at my daughter's slumped body...a feeling over-whelmed me. A rage never before felt drove me into killing him." Ceres confessed "The true horror doesn't end there though. The Mikage Curse doesn't get a chance to manifest itself, because the girl's who display Tennyo powers get killed on the spot. Aya....was supposed to die. Had I not awaken in time...she wouldn't be here right now...and Aki wouldn't have a sister. He has already lost his father to the same people...but that news...would traumatize him." The Tennin shortened her explanation, leaving out a few bloody details from the story. Why she chose to tell Momiji and Shigure about her past was a complete mystery. Perhaps, the Sohma Family had inspired enough trust? Or maybe she had done it to relieve a burden in her heart? She didn't know for certain, but a weight seemed to lift off the Tennyo's shoulders. "You win Momiji-Chan. I'll use my abilities to heal Yuki Sohma and tomorrow...I'll be back to heal you and the others. Don't try to stop me because I won't listen." Ceres replied, a determined smile etched across her painted lips "It is the least I can do to atone for what I did earlier." The soft words left the Tennyo as golden orbs re focused on the white rabbit and his comments. 'Caring? I've never felt a close connection to anyone before. At first...all I wanted to do was take over Aya's body, but now...I don't want to.' The situations Aya had been exposed too had started changing Ceres. Her interpersonal relationships, her attitude, her ability to forgive others...that was an amazing feat in itself. 'The only one capable of forgiving is Aya Mikage. She has matured from teenager to an adult almost overnight.'

Glossy red lips parted slightly to speak "Haru has been of great help to Aya and she sees him as another brother." Ceres chuckled, knowing Aya's tendency to adopt other's as family. "As for Aya....I care for her well-being..even if she doesn't realize." The young woman shrugged her tired shoulders casually, as if the news didn't matter. Though deep down it did matter to Ceres Mikage, but she wouldn't admit it to herself. Honey-colored orbs widened slightly at the compliments coming from both Sohma's. Did she really radiate beauty? Reaching a hand to her face, the heavenly maiden touched the soft skin gingerly trying to confirm the news. She couldn't see anything, but a child never spoke lies. "I'll take your word for it Momiji. if I ever get the Mana back...I will show you what a full Tennyo looks like." She reassured him with a tender nuzzle to the rabbit's cheek. Yes, a promise is a promise. And she never broke off her promises. Stretching out a left hand, the raven-haired female reached for the last bit of tea in the glass, bringing the tepid liquid to her lips Ceres downed the contents. "Of course. The tea was exactly to my liking Momiji." She smiled tenderly at him, carefully settling the glass down on the table and as soon as she did, sheer exhaustion struck her. "I'm sorry...I need to close my eyes for a few minutes." The Tennyo stated, giving Momiji one last gaze before slumping against the table with golden orbs falling half shut. 'I don't know if my energy will suffice for Yuki's wounds. I'll just heal the worst cuts and leave the bruises to heal naturally by themselves.' Casting away the tiresome thoughts, the young woman remained completely silent with only her senses on high alert.

Momiji smiled as she opened her mouth, few words coming out. "It's ok...you don't have to say anything either." He whispered into her ear with a wink, "You ccan think on it too. He could sense the emotions rolling inside of her. Maybe that's what he got for spending so much time around his family. There was always so much emotion rolling around in peoples hearts that you could automatically sense it when someone was in trouble, or when someone was struggling with emotions. Momiji shrugged, "Why should i be scared? You're not going to hurt me are you?" He asked with a smile, already knowing the answer. "Besides feeling emotions is what makes you human...or...so to speak..." He said, not really having thought that one out as he corrected himself. Ok, so she wasn't human, but she still felt like humans did. Just because she was all powerful didn't mean she was heartless."Everything will be ok!" He assured her, suddenly hopping off of her shoulder and onto her cousin's shoulder. "Right 'gure?" He asked as he glanced at Shigure. Though he had been working on his manuscripts, he seemed to of lost interest in them. Not that Momiji was surprised, Shigure was actually really good at eavesdropping on every conversation in this house, good or bad. Despite his air head appearance that seemed to catch nothing, Shigure caught a lot. He knew what was going on. Shigure nodded, 'The only thing that separates an angel from a demon is their heart, not their appearance." He told her, still partially in character with his novelism. Still, despite his slightly melodramatic delivery he had a point. It's not in how they looked for acted. Anyone could look a certian way with enough effort, or put on a mask. The heart is what made the difference, and in a world of curses, somehow the Sohma family had managed to keep heart with each other, in a network of their own.

Momiji tilted his head as he turned back to Ceres. "Never have time?" He repeated, thinking to himself. You know...how long does it take it to really know a person? One conversation you can know all about a person...plus the time it takes people to open up..." He seemed to be thinking to himself, and yet talking to everyone else close enough to listen. Not even to any particular people, but anyone who happened to be listening. It was somethign his cousins were familiar. He was a very thought out kid despite his appearances, had had a lot of life lessons trapped in his head that he would tell anyone when they came to mind. "But how much time do we really have? One hundred years here? Yet children die every day too, how much time did they get? Does it make their lives less meaningful? No...I think every second we have is valuable...and it is what we make it!" He giggled a bit at the end, looking at her. "You may not be here like you once where...and may be trapped, but it doesn't mean you're stuck!" He told her, thinking back to Yuki. Is Yuki stuck? He thought to himself, shaking his head. No...as long as he keeps trying that's what important, and even if it's only in baby steps, as long as he's trying he's getting somewhere. He thought to as he turned back to Ceres. "No matter what, what ever you went though, you don't deserve, and didn't ask to be in this situation right?" He asked, in his mind there was still no excuse, it wasn't her fault.

"Well i'll admit he may of a had a tiny bit of influen..." He started, but his under-exaggeration was caught off by her next words. "Well yes he's a skeptic but..." He started before he was cut off again, this time by his cousin. "Momiji." Shigure said softly, he was trying to each the guilt by stretching the truth, and it wasn't helping. Momiji looked at his cousin for a minute before sighing. "Fine, he may of managed to upset Haru a litt...i mean a lot, by reminding him of someone he doesn't care for." He said, glaring at Shigure as if to ask 'Are you happy now?' The dog, however, chose to act as if he didn't see it, continuing what he had been doing before. Her words echoed what had been in Haru's and his heads earlier, it would be better to not know. However he didn't see it that way. "But I think my might be cursed..." Momiji said softly, seeing Aki's cruel face in his mind, then the look of horror as he realized what he had done. "Maybe not by the magic of your curse, or an angels blood, but by blood." He said, the statement making more sense in his head. "They say people who are beaten by their parents are more likely to beat their kids, a parents personality and attitude rubs off on the children. It's a different kind of curse, being vulnerable to the influence of others around us...I don't know what it is...but i think Aki is fallen to the actions of his fathers..." He said slowly, again not knowing how close to the truth he may be. Despite that Momij shivered at the thought. Aki's words still echoed in his mind, each a dagger of ice in Momiji's soft heart as he remembered them.

"Well...you'll need help right?" He asked her, referring to her robe. In truth he wasn't sure she needed help to retrieve, but obviously after a thousand years or so looking for it by herself wasn't working out the best. "The true story as been lost." Shigure continued with their story. "Exactly who and what we are, we hold to the traditional legend as the only explanation. I grand feast by god with all 12 animals while the cat slest away." He summarized it briefly with a shrug. As she began her story, both of them learned in, Momiji's eyes growing wide as he listened and Shigure's showed interest, as a novelist who had found his next big plot. It sounded like a curse, one where people died and lives were ruined because of one persons actions and emotions. "I'm sorry Ceres!" Momiji told her, Shigure deciding the rabbit had said enough for the both of them. What else was there to say, Momiji wasn't going to cry, not here and not now, now they knew, just as she knew theirs. Momiji nodded seriously. "Fine, but not before everyone else is healed!" He told her, he didn't like being in pain, he wasn't a masochist, but he was self-sacrificing, and he didn't want it until everyone else had hair their turn first. After all, anyone in his family would do the same for him right? He wasn't hurt bad, they were. "Well maybe....maybe you just didn't know what to call it, but i can tell...you do care." He told her with a small smile, he knew it, he coudl see and sense it. "Well, well." Shigure laughed, waving his hand. "That's our Haru, 'Brother Ox' as we call him." He laughed, when suddenly another voice came from behind them.

"Who the hell says that?" Haru asked as he leaned against the doorway, "No one i know..." He told him, in the end he'd decided to get up, and to check on Momiji, not that he'd expected Ceres to be here. His wounds almost looked work in the bright sunlight that streamed through the open door, he had his arms to his chest as if bored, but really he was protecting his wounds. His legs were weak from the short walk down here, he was definately worse for wear, Kyo had done a number on him. "Sorry about you're family..." He said, obviously having been listening to that last part as he'd stood outside the room. He slowly made his way over to the table as sat down, gingerly touching a scratch on his neck. "But Aki seems to share some of you're late husbands traits sometimes." He told her, glancing at Shigure, then turning to his younger cousin who seemed to of disappeared. "Haru!" Momiji screamed, suddenly transforming back into his normal self as he went to give Haru a hug, Shigure reaching out, a fan inn his hand to block him. "Momiji, you can't just go jumping on him when he's injured...put your clothes back on." He told the Rabbit who sighed but complied, reaching over and quickly pulling his clothes on. Meanwhile Haru watched Ceres, he supposed his would much look startling form the outside, hell they ere startling to himself, he hadnt' expected this, but he suppose that's what he got for letting himself get so worked up, nothing good was bound to come out of it.

.Tell me..What do they see. When they look at me?.Do they see my many personalities.ღ

{"You're late." Mitsuki's voice rose above the clatter of dishes and running water "Grandpa Mikage called me a while ago...to suggest a celebration at his estate. What do you think?" The brown-haired woman stated softly, turning off the kitchen faucet with a trembling hand. Placing the last of the ceramic dishes to dry upon the rack, she whirled around to gaze at the fraternal twins with hard blue eyes "Father's offer is grand...don't you think? Imagine celebrating your sweet sixteen with a birthday cake, music and family members from far away. I'm sure...you two will have fun." Mitsuki smiled, her eyes moving briefly to Aki who seemed somewhat astonished at his mother's suggestion. "Sorry about the tardiness." The blond-haired male apologized, dropping his head in submission "We were simply hanging out with friends at the karaoke club." He replied, hoping his mother's disappointed look would cease to exist. Unfortunately the venomous gaze did not disappear, instead it seemed to grow with each passing minute "That isn't a good excuse." She pointed out "You're both teenagers who know right from wrong. Though....Aya seems to be the one who least understands." Mitsuki's accusation hung heavily in the air, causing the blond-haired girl to swing around in sheer anger. "I understand just fine! Can't we hang out with our friends just like any normal teenager would!? Are we abnormal or something?" Aya questioned, dropping blue-gray orbs to the patterned floor below. Fights and arguments. Always the same issue with Mitsuki Mikage. Why couldn't mom be as understanding as Ronny Mikage? Why didn't dad interfer this time? Swallowing harshly, the young female glanced briefly over one shoulder at the pale man sitting on the couch with an extended newspaper covering his face. Although his facial features were covered by the grey print, his body language expressed tension. He was stressed. But what was causing the issue? Did he know something she didn't? Aya immediately turned back to her mother, who had snatched the car keys from the peg "Abnormal? Goodness child where did you get such a stupid idea from?" The woman asked cautiously, azure orbs narrowing suspiciously at her husband "Anyway...let's go." Grabbing a hold of Aya's wrist, the woman dragged her out the door. Ronny and Aki followed closely behind, each one filled with questions. Yet, one mind held extreme dread for his teenage daughter. Aya Mikage. The girl who would be tested for Ceres' presense. Ronny wiped away the cold sweat from his face, praying feverishly to the heavens to spare his own flesh and blood from such a cruel fate. }

"That dream again? Why am I remembering that fated day?" Aya awoke briefly from her sleep, blue-grey orbs opening slightly. Yesterday. It seemed like only yesterday that she had been standing in front of her grandfather with a blissful smile etched across her face. The old man's innocent smile filling an empty void with the blond-girl, but at the same time a feeling of dread rose inside Aya. 'Ceres was trying to warn me since the beginning. Those strange feelings of pain...that assaulted me were her red flags. How could I've been so blind? This love mother claimed to have for me was nothing, but a false lie.' She couldn't complain over being falsely loved, now could she? At least she had brief affection, unlike the individuals making up the Sohma Family. 'Yuki...' His name conjured up unpleasant images of a silver-haired boy locked away in darkness. Unable to scream out his fear for every word seemed to choke him in a death grip. Unable to see the light for Akito's influence drapped over the poor zodiac rat like a funeral blanket. 'Out of all of us...he has suffered loneliness the most...' Haru's haunting words echoed in Aya's mind, causing extreme pain for the young woman "I don't know for certain what Akito Sohma said to Yuki. I'm almost positive the so called leader poisoned his mind into thinking of loneliness. That concept of darkness Yuki has in his head is affecting his ability to see that he isn't truly alone. I know the rest of the Sohma's are eagerly waiting his recovering as am I. Although...I'm afraid to think what this has caused to our relationship. Did it create a wide gap? Or did we just get closer to the abyss?" Aya whispered into the darkness, knowing her words would never be heard by him. No one would see the bitter tears she cried. No one would ever see the guilt twisting around Aya's heart and despite the grow anguish she continued to develop even deeper feelings for the kind-hearted Sohma. 'These feelings grow in my heart, are they a waste of time? Should I crush this love for Yuki? Should I forget everything...we lived together?' The blond-haired female mused until Ceres broke into her thoughts 'Don't act foolish.' The Tennyo warned with a firm tone echoing in her descendant's conscious mind "I know sleep still claims you, however don't give up just yet. Tonight we're headed over to the main house to heal Yuki's wounds without him knowing." The angel's watery appearance floated in front of Aya, with golden orbs shimmering in hope "I'm not the one playing nurse to Sohma today. I suggest you heal him, after all your the one in love with Yuki. It would also serve as an opportunity to practice those Tennyo powers of yours." The Celestial Maiden stated, paint lips curving downwards in a teasing smile for Aya looked comical with that big blush of hers.

"Stop teasing me!" Aya protested loudly, quickly averting her eyes to the floor. "This love concept is quite new to me and I don't know how to handle my feelings very well." She commented "There are times, when I just want to lie down in the dirt. Cowardly...I know and for that Ceres....thank you for not letting me fall into the slums. You're truly a strong woman....much stronger then I could ever be." The young woman whispered beneath her breath as the redness in her cheeks faded momentarily. "Just because I appear strong doesn't mean I am." The Tennin responded sincerely "I was a coward many centuries ago for allowing Mikage to control me." Ceres continued, until Momiji's voice brought the raven-haired woman to the present. 'I need to stop getting distracted.' Pushing away the yearning ache in her heart, the female focused glinting orbs upon the younger Sohma and his questions. "Just because I have powers doesn't mean I'll go around causing havoc for those who don't deserve it. I maybe a lethal Tennyo, but I'd never dream of hurting you or anyone in this family." She paused in mid-sentence, taking a few minutes to examine her sentence. Was she lying to them? Would she keep the promise of not hurting anyone in the Sohma Family? 'The only one..I wanted to kill is Akito Sohma. But that would mean...causing damage to the family itself.' Akito was the command center for the rest of the zodiac members. A critical attack on the corrupted female would surely throw everyone into an unrecoverable phase and what about herself? Ceres glanced down at her motionless hands, as the faded images of breaking pottery rose visually. "I suppose you're right." She answered, raising her head to gaze at Momiji's brown hues with her own golden ones. Emotions. Human emotions. 'I'm just a Tennyo with no physical body, yet I'm able to feel emotions...like a human being?' Was that normal? Was it safe for her to feel again? "I've been blinded by rage for centuries, that I had forgotten my own emotions. I forgot what it's like to be human till now." The Tennin confessed, soft red lips curving downwards in a positive smile. Both males had a valid point and Ceres hated to admit how right they were. Just because she had descended down from Heaven did not make her any different from humans or animals. If animals could display emotions via body language, why couldn't an angel do the same? Was she different? No. A Tennyo might not be a creature of Earth, but she had the ability to feel, to bleed, to cry. Emotions were another aspect Ceres did not care to deal with, but Shigure's voice broke through her lament. 'A thin line exists between being a devil and an angel? I must have crossed that small barrier several times in order to be labeled a devil within my own family.' The Tennin mused bitterly, her mind echoing with the ancient screams from every descendant killed at the hands of the Mikage. "This is why...I admire the Sohma Family." Ceres stated "Not because of the curse, but the way your hearts have remained kind...despite all the horrible experiences. It seems my family should learn a few things from you." Her voice faded into tense silence. 'Even with the kindness flowing through some of the Mikage hearts....there will always be death in that family.'

{ "W..why do you want to kill me? What have I ever done to the family?" Questions poured from Aya's throat, her voice a mere whisper above the familar ticking of the clock in the Western Parlor.Grandpa Mikage sneered at the blond-haired female, his cold eyes dropping momentarily downwards to examine Ronny's stiff body. His son. His very own son had pointed the gun in his face. Despite, the strict tradition why try to change it? "I could always read him like a book. Baka." He snarled, commanding one of the body guards to approach Aya with the pistol. Facial features turning white as dough, the young woman continued walking backwards until she felt an icy touch to her forehead. } "Help? With finding the mana?" Ceres struggled to pay attention to the young man, even though the visual images assaulting her mind were proving difficult to control "I could use all the help in the world, unfortunately looking for the Hagoromo without a definate location would prove a waste of time and energy." She explained with a small sigh escaping through her lips "Not to mention...centuries of separation could have caused the Mana to decay." There was always hope in finding her Celestial Robes in tact, but the odds were extremely slim. Although, the robes themselves could survive decades in isolation if exposed to water. With the conversation of the Mana behind them, the raven-haired female found herself once again awed by Momiji's down to earth attitude. His mental openness, his ability to bring a smile to even the saddest of faces. How could a boy like him exist? Was it magic? 'Pain has been his teacher. Each Sohma has gone through an experience that has matured them...just like I have.' The Tennin observe, nodding slowly in acknowledgment "Well...Momiji you did open me up in less then a few minutes." Ceres pointed out with a small chuckle "Yet as the saying goes...live life to the fullest." She responded, adding the little saying to what the zodiac rabbit had said earlier. Time. Time stood still for no one, except for the dead. 'Am I dead?' The question surfaced in her mind and Ceres thought back to all the 'deaths' she had experienced. She was just a spirit hopping from generation to generation, seeking out a chance to find what was hers'. 'Technically..I'm dead...though in a way...I'm not.' Might as well enjoy her time on Earth. "Arigato...Momiji." The Heavenly Maiden thanked him for his wise words. True, she might have given Mikage a bit of her celestial power, but that didn't give him the right to go slaughter other people or to inflict damage on his own family. Shiso had been the one responsible for his own death and Ceres would no longer carry the burden in her heart. It was time to bury the past. It was time to focus on what the future promised to bring. 'Whether..I want to admit it or not.....his attitude seems to make up a portion of the Mikage males.' The stiffening in Ceres' body proved how much Aki's actions affected her "Cursed by blood." The Celestial Maiden muttered bluntly, the coldness beginning to seep into her voice at the mere mention of Aki's attitude. "Why doesn't that surprise me? Aki has strong human blood flowing through his veins and a mother who shares in the same attitude as my late husband did many centuries ago. I'm deeply worried over his sake......as well as Aya's."

Honey-colored orbs fell shut in sheer disappointment "How upsetting it is to see your own family destroying each other. Don't they realize the harm they're inflicting upon themselves and others?" The young woman questioned, her thoughts running back to Haru Sohma "In all reality, Aki needed a lesson. If he got hurt...that is his own fault for not controlling his emotions." Leaning against the table, the raven-haired female pondered her family for a few minutes. How sad to see her own family crumbling to bits. They were like a moist cookie exposed to the cold air, hardening until the peices began to fall away into oblivion. Where had Ceres gone wrong? Had she been a terrible mother? 'I didn't teach my children violence. Where they learned all those cruel methods is beyond me.' There was nothing she or anyone else could do to stop them. Family was family. If they wanted to continue destroying each other, then so be it. Lips pressed together to form a thin line of disapproval, until Haru's masculine voice broke through Ceres' nightmarish dreams. Turning her head around to look at him, the Tennyo's eyes widened at the sight of multiple wounds over the male's body. "Don't worry about it." Ceres reassured the zodiac cow with a gentle smile appearing on her lips, but the look of anger never left her eyes. The fury wasn't directed at the Sohma Family, nor at the Mikage. Every ounce of venomous hatred projected itself in the Tennin's heart, burning her red and raw from the inside. "Aki can be a gentle individual sometimes, but once in a while...he'll display the famous attitude." She explained to Haru, finger tips tapping soundlessly on the wooden table top "I can't help wondering if...I failed in my mothering duties." The Celestial Maiden replied, focusing towards the ceiling. Lips parting slightly, the woman couldn't help pointing out Haru's wounds "Your hurt badly...I see. Perhaps...I can ease your pain till tomorrow..." Bringing her eyes back towards the white-haired male, she studied him critically until the idea of ice came to mind. "Herbs would work miracles, unfortunately I don't have any on hand. Ice might aleviate the pain..." Scrambling into a standing position, Ceres disappeared into the Sohma kitchen. After a few minutes of rummaging through the freezer. the maiden brought back a small ice pack wrapped in thin towels for Haru and Momiji. "There." She placed the packages on the table, before sitting back down. "I won't be here for much longer...and I did come to speak with Haru." The young woman nodded, remembering the task she had assigned for herself. "Before I forget....Yuki Sohma has woken up from his unconscious state. Although he reacts to the smallest stimuli...the boy doesn't speak as of yet." Ceres announced, dropping golden orbs to look downwards. 'If they only knew...I woke him up by sheer force.' Pushing back the bothersome thoughts, the raven-haired female turned to Haru with facial features furrowed in concern "I'm happy...that Yuki is responding...but I think there is something else you should know." She leaned in close to Haru's ear, so that he would only hear her "Aya is in love with Yuki....and I'm afraid...that feeling could cause more harm....then good. Especially...with Aya thinking...that he may hate her for what happened."

Last edited by Śḫἵяὰṋŭί on Mon Jul 26, 2010 5:25 pm; edited 1 time in total

Momiji smiled, nodding, "I know you won't Ceres!" He said with a bright smile as if that much were obvious."I know you won't because you have a heart! Otherwise why would you be here to check on Haru-Chan?" He asked with a smile, pausing to think. "Don't get surprised when you see him, him and Kyo are pretty evenly matched in martial arts so there were a lot of injuries." He told her, as if trying to prepare her. He didn't want her to feel bad, it wasn't like Aki had given him the wounds. Still, he wasn't sure if he should tell her what really happened, she probably had an idea...but if she knew exactly what he'd said, what it'd done to Haru to give him his bruises and drag Kyo in...well, it was just one more thing to worry about, and he didn't want her to worry any more than she had to. "You're a person who can feel! Emotions are what reminds us we're not machines. And don't forget it." He said with a slight giggle. At her words though, mixed emotions rolling around inside him suddenly. How many times had he heard those words? His classmates, You're such a kind person Momiji.... His older cousins, He's so kind it may get him into trouble some day... His father, I know it's hard but you're a kind person, we don't have a choice or she'll die... Luckily Shigure chose to step in before Momiji could respond.

"Perhaps in many aspects, but a curse is still a curse...not all hearts are kind all the time." He told her suddenly, his attitude once again serious, as if to prove his point. "The curse effects each of us in different ways, each heart has been softened or hardened, and we've all been cruel." He told her, maybe it wasn't fair, but it would be wrong to mislead her into a sense they were perfect. "The only difference between ours and yours is ours spread larger than a single member at a time, and because of that we hold onto each other, sympathize with each other. And even then..." He didn't bother to finished, the current circumstances proving his point. "Momiji indeed has the kindest heart, but even that has its downfalls." He pointed out, glancing at his cousin who's memories seemed to of been buried again. "But each of us is special too!" He pointed out, when they were together there were fun times too, they laughed together and cried together, and overall they struggled together. "Especially lately, with Tohru...i think she pulled us even closer in friendship too, right 'gure?" He asked his cousin who nodded, she had helped them laugh together, that was for sure.

Momiji frowned for a moment when the talk turned to the Mana. "Maybe not...but if you keep looking you'll find it eventually right?" He asked, his memories having been pushed away again. There was time to think about it later, but not now, there was no point bringing it up. "I mean...everyplace you look is one more place you know it can't be...you'd find it eventually...there has to be a way..." He said, thinking for a second as if the answer were right there, but not being able to find it. "Well...if it had decayed, you'd know it wouldn't you?" He asked her, following some line of logic in his mind. "You said you can't live without it for very long...if you're still here after so many years it means it's there somewhere...if it was gone, you strength would be going faster..." He told her, smiling a bit at her compliment. "I wasn't trying too...but i'm glad you have!! It always makes you feel better!" He said with a smile. Maybe she didn't realize it but that was part of their curse as well, their inability to open up to anyone. They had each other they talked to, sure, but when it came to people outside of the family they cared about...they couldn't. Only because it resulted in more pain for the loved one. He thought about Yuki and Aki, about Hatori and Kana, and about his Mother. Yes, opening up made you feel better, especially when you didn't realize what you were holding in. Yet when you realized how much you were holding in without the ability to share it, was just as painful as the reverse was relieving. Haru exchanged glances with Shigure as she went to rummage for ice, two thoughts running through his head. One, she was lucky she was here after Tohru had gotten here and she could find ice. Two, he'd need an ice bath to cover all his wounds, but it would get the worst at least. Momiji took the opportunity to change back quickly, sitting up next to his cousin. As she set the ice down he took one and handed it to Haru who used it as a pillow, resting his throbbing head on the ice pack. After a second Momiji set the other one on a particularly nasty cut on top of a dark bruise on his knee.

Shigure glanced at Ceres as her talk of Aki, "As far as injuries go, Aki got off lucky." He told her, picking up for Momiji and giving the small rabbit a slight break. He supposed it might be ironic as badly as he was hurt he was lucky, but that was the truth of it. He had no doubt that Aki could be dead right now, but he wasn't. "In his case, his ignorance was his down fall, any one is capable of anger, and his got the bast of him...a well as Haru." He explained, though he left more questions in his statement than he answered, he along with Momiji didn't plan to tell the whole story unless she was sure she wanted to hear it. "As our family learned through pain, yours learned through fear." He told her bluntly, meeting her eyes. "But they took a different path that led to a chain reaction through the generation. The fear froze their hearts, and there in ice they've stayed. Aki learned from his mother to avoid the fear and pain, blunt it with anger, with rage, and with cruel words." Shigure finished. "Well he's got it down to an art." Haru muttered as he sat down, avoiding as much movement as he could as he sat down, wincing. He watched Momiji run out to change as he glanced back at Ceres. "Don't worry, the most Aki gave me was a bruise from an attempt to punch me...which was long hidden by a larger bruise." He told her, not sure if that was really comforting, but it didn't much matter he supposed, setting his arms on his knees and then thinking better of it as pain ran up his legs, leaning on the table, which didn't help either. Finally he just laid back, his muscles already sore without trying to sit up.

Shigure nodded at the news about Yuki. "I think everyone expected that much, especially after it has already happened once before, when he was very young." He told her, knowing the news was probably new too her. The thing they were all hoping for, and Hatori was watching for, was that he hadn't reverted back to that time in his life. According to Hatori it was possible his mind had actually traveled back to that time, and until he began responding more normally to everyone's reactions it would be hard to tell. "We should go see him!" Momiji said with a laugh, Shigure glancing over at him. "I'll call Hatori tonight and see if it's a good idea." He told the rabbit, not wanting to push it if Hatori didn't think it was a good idea. Haru closed his eyes as Ceres leaned closer, whispering into his ear. Despite himself a slight flicker of a smile frittered across his face, he'd had a feeling, watching them...maybe he had known before they had, but confirmation was always nice. Still the rest of her words held a ring of truth, after all love , even friendship, was dangerous in their family. How many times has it ended in pain... Kana and Hatori, Kisa and Hiro, Yuki's friends, Momiji's mother...Rin. The last name stung a bit. Before she could sit back up he grabbed her arm to keep her close to him, returning the whisper. "You can tell her in our family, pain is all that springs from our curse, not hate." He returned, well aware of the curious glances from Momiji and Shigure. Still, in their family, hate never sprouted from actions like this. Hatori didn't hate Kana for his eye. Kisa didn't hate Hiro for telling Akito they were in love. Yuki didn't hate Hatori from erasing his friends memories any more than Momiji hated him for erasing his mothers memories. The last one he chose to skip over, turning back to the topic at hand. Maybe it was more harmful than good, look at where they are now. But one thing if for sure, Yuki hating her wasn't the harmful part of the bargain.